Secret Stolen Smiles
by Materia-Blade
Summary: No matter how bad life is today, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Old love ends but that doesn't mean it dies. For, love never dies. A Ranma x Futabakun Change crossover. When did I get so corny? An MBlade Romance. Unthinkable!
1. Prologue

Recently read Futaba-kun Change. Great manga and I decided I'd write a crossover with it! So there! Be prepared for corniness. It strikes without warning and makes people gag. Frankly I need to go to the store and buy some more sap. I've used it all up. (Citation: Dominic Deegan.)

**Secret Stolen Smiles**

_**--  
Prologue  
--**_

"**H**ey, Donama-kun? How far back does the line still go? Can ya tell me?" Ranma piped curiously at the guard watching the door on the far side of the room.

It was a rather comical situation she'd been landed in. If Ranma had been anyone but herself, of course. Currently dressed in a fuku-imitation of some magical girl, Ranma Saotome was currently an idol star.

Another girl, cute at about fifteen, stepped up to the desk standing before Ranma could hear Donama's answer. "He-hello Miss Lakara-san… er… I… well…"

"What's your name, Miss?" Ranma asked politely with a broad grin. "You shouldn't stutter so much. You have a very pretty face. Just smile and you'd outshine me any day, you know?"

The girl positively _beamed!_ "Re-really! You really think so!?"

Ranma gave the same beam back. To parties back in Nerima, Ranma Saotome was still a man among men. Well, perhaps. Ranma really didn't know what people back there thought of him anymore. Here though, things were almost completely different. Frankly, she did enjoy the attention. Seeing so many smiles because of her was quite flattering. Not to mention incredibly likeable in comparison to "Prepare to Die, Ranma."

"Of course!" Ranma replied happily.

She meant it too. Any of these girls were more than beautiful enough to take over her _position. _Not many of them were ugly. And those that were, were just as easy to satisfy and send away with a grin and a bit more confidence then when they came. The autograph alone usually did that. Not to mention giving Ranma the strange sense of _warmth_ she'd come to associate with those smiles of happy people dying to meet her. Even so, few of the people who came in reached the same innate beauty that this curly haired brunette exhibited.

"Now tell me," Ranma continued cheerfully. "What's that name?"

"Mi- er… Migeru, miss Lakara! Migeru Tsubeki." The girl said with a slight bow.

Ranma grinned widely and held out a slip of paper. "Can I have you're autograph? How much do you charge?"

The girl burst into giggles as she steadily signed her name. "Lakara-chan I couldn't possibly charge _you_ for my name!"

Ranma shrugged. "Don't worry. The value of the signature will more than make up the charge Migeru." Ranma said giving the name a casual twist as she smiled warmly at the now un-nervous girl.

"Well I suppose you _did_ want my autograph though right? Why in the world ya'd want that's beyond me…" Ranma murmured as she accepted the three autograph books that had been set on the table.

"Who'd ya like it too?" Ranma asked perkily while facing the girl, her idol voice firmly in place.

The frilly girl blushed cutely. "Could you please make it out to Sanida Sanda and this one to Aro Tsubeki? And… the last to me?"

"Sure!" Ranma replied, her cheery voice now utterly mastered. She had become perfect with the voice ever since she had become "Miss Disney Japan."

Ranma set about signing the pages of their five by three inch autograph books. It seemed Sanida and Migeru, the girl in front of her, had collected quite a few autographs but Aro's- _Aro-kun's _–was completely empty.

_To Sanida-chan,_

_Hello! I'm sorry we didn't get to meet face to face, but I'm glad to know fans are out there cheering for me! I just hope I don't fall on my face when I'm up on stage next month! How embarrassing… Anyways! Thank you for the chance to meet you indirectly! Migeru is a great friend, to wait through that line for you. Just make sure to treasure her more than anyone you see on a poster and you'll go far alright? Miss Sanido-chan, I'll be forgotten one day but she'll be with you forever. Don't lose that.  
Yours Truly, _

_Lakara Uundo._

Half a year ago Ranma wouldn't have thought rabid frenzied cats could make her write something that corny. And now here she was doing it out of her own free will… well not _completely_ but that was a bit beside the point, as she was currently _enjoying_ work.

_To Aro-kun,_

_Hiya! Thank you so much for cheering me on! And an even bigger compliment, you bought a brand new autograph book just for mine didn't you! You shouldn't have! Make sure you get at least five more before you leave alright!? I won't accept anything less! Blushes _

_Sincerely_

_Lakara Uundo._

After finishing the wavy sign which stood for "Orchid" that had become her signet which she signed after her name on all her messages, letters, and autographs, Ranma smiled back up at Migeru. Orchid was the tie to her girl-form's actual name, "Ranko."

"And last is yours. Hmm. What to write to a girl like you though… ah… I know!" Ranma exclaimed happily.

The girl fidgeted a bit in mute apprehension but she wasn't nearly as nervous as when she had entered.

_To Migeru-chan,_

_You are more than beautiful enough to be your own idol. I'm a little jealous in fact. Maybe you should give it a shot? Contact Marandi Akodova at the number below and tell him Ranma told you to call mm-kay? I wouldn't be surprised to see a new number one face on the idol star scene in three weeks! You are breathtaking, Migeru-chan._

_With all love,_

_Lakara Uundo. _

Writing the number for Marandi Akodova at the bottom of the page, Ranma quickly finished the short paragraph.

"There ya go!" She exclaimed happily.

The girl beamed back again as she took the three closed autograph books.

"Thank you so much Lakara-san! I—!"

"Please." Ranma interjected. "Just Lakara, or Lakara-chan if you prefer. We're friends now."

The girl's smile radiated that warmth that Ranma loved. "Alright Lakara-chan! Thank you very much!"

The girl turned with the books scooped up in her arms. Once she got to the exit of the room they sat in she turned. "Goodbye Lakara-chan! I can't wait to see you next month!"

Ranma shivered. "Don't remind me, Migeru-chan. I'm still worried about that…"

The girl's eyes turned into a bit of shock. "Y-you're worried about it? B-but. _You _are _Lakara Uundo! _You—!"

"I'm sorry miss." Donama, the guard at the door, interrupted suddenly. "There's a very long line. I must ask you to leave now."

The girl grinned at the guard, sheepishly. "Gomen Nasai. Thank you again Miss Lakara! You're everything I thought you'd be and more!"

Ranma waved to the girl and gave her another wide grin as she exited.

The girl exited and Ranma let out an exasperated sigh, that was filled with quite a bit of happiness too. A tired happiness. "Heh. How long is the line now?"

"It still goes a little past the middle, Miss Lakara." The guard behind her said grudgingly.

Ranma slumped a little with an edgy grin and a sweat drop. "That _long!?"_ She moaned. She'd rather be doing this than actually modeling or fighting for her life. Perhaps not the second one. There was a certain thrill in fighting for her life. But _still_! She'd been doing this for six hours now! The line should have come down at least more than halfway!

"Well, Miss Lakara, if you would just sign your _name_ instead of writing half your life to each person then perhaps this wouldn't take so long?" Imura behind her said, snickering.

Ranma pouted at the guard. "I'm not like other stars! I want my fans to _know_ me and know who I am!"

_I just found out who I am… and it feels good._ She thought to herself, deeply. _I want them to feel it too… somehow._

The other guard at the door, Donama chuckled. "She's right you know, Imura? Do you know anyone like Lakara-chan? I've never met someone so caring to her fans before."

"I've met one about the same." Imura who stood behind the desk, replied stoicly. "Only one, though."

"Who?" Ranma questioned. She bet she knew the answer.

"Futaba-chan. Futaba Shimeru." Imura said certainly.

Ranma smiled. "Heh heh. I thought so. Futaba-chan really knows what she's doing. I'm kinda jealous of how calm she can be about all this."

Imura blinked. "You know Futaba-chan? I knew you two were in competition sorta… Didn't know you actually _knew_ her though."

_I know Futaba better than anyone here does._ Ranma said with a grin. She blushed a bit. That had brought up thoughts of the previous night spent with Futaba. Quite a night. _Quite_ a night.

"Next one in." The other guard said.

The guards were all business once again as the next fan walked through the doors, sunlight spilling into the decently lit room.

At first Ranma was certain she was just seeing things. A man strode forth, her age. Jet black hair and a yellow shirt. Black pants, and a yellow and black spangled bandana. The man looked like he could lift the entire building with a pinky. And he could. Ranma knew it. For Ryoga Hibiki was one of the strongest people Ranma had ever met.

"He-hello!" He said gingerly. "W-wow I can't believe I'm really here,"

Nervousness radiated around Ryoga like the usual depressive aura that he had.

"Ry-Ryoga?" Ranma asked, shocked. Anger seethed but she kept her cool, without even using the Soul of Ice. All that was over and done with and she had forgiven the Lost Boy and… _her._ Soul of Ice or not, her entire though process fell several degrees at the thought of _her._

"Sh-she knows my name…!" Ryoga muttered to himself, dreamily. Then he shook his head forcefully.

Ranma collected herself quickly. "H-hello sir!" She said her voice back to its normal idol form.

"Hi. Uh.. Hiya… w-well I."

Ranma sighed. She knew this would all be found out sooner or later. Perhaps if she played it off well enough, she could keep him from recognizing her?

"Sir, why are you so nervous? I'm not that intimidating am I?" She asked cutely.

"Well… er… No, I—." Was Ryoga's intelligent response. He seemed to gather himself. "I've been your fan for… weeks Miss Lakara-san, and I—!"

"Please, just Lakara, or Lakara-chan if you prefer. I want my fans to know me. I used to be some obscure school kid just like everyone else. There's nothing different between me and my fans so I'd like them to remember me as just another person. A friend. Okay, Ryoga-kun?" Ranma interrupted tersely.

Ryoga's smile brightened. "O-of course miss… hey… how do you know my name Lakara-ch—!"

_Oh damn._ Ranma thought as he watched Ryoga's eyes widen in recognition.

"That voice…" Ryoga muttered. He glanced down. "It… It can't be!" He studied Ranma with a look of recognition that was slowly turning to burning fury.

"Ranma! You imposter! How dare you—!"

Ranma sighed as she _accidentally_ spilled her cup of water forward. "Oh! Oh my! I'm so sor—! What in god's name!" She acted. Being an idol star had given her incredible acting skills of late.

"Miss Lakara-chan?" The guard asked, not having noticed. All he saw now was a bundle of clothing in the middle of the floor. Camera's would have seen it though. "Where did that man go? Is… Is that his…"

"I don't… know. I spilled my water and…"

A small body launched itself forward from the clothes, directly at Ranma like a moving black ball of lightning.

Ranma smirked and caught the ball formally known as 'Pig Cute' while simultaneously opening a drawer. Taking a light fist, she swatted the pig across the head, firmly knocking it unconscious. Then she placed the small piglet inside and quickly closed and locked the drawer.

"Miss Lakara?" The guard asked. He hadn't noticed a thing. God she loved being a martial artist!

"Yes?" She asked daintily, wearing a face of innocence to rival Kasumi.

He looked at her oddly for a moment and then shrugged. He picked up the clothing and pack, noting how heavy it was but still able to lift it, barely, and brought it back behind the walls. Then he returned to his post.

"I… guess we'll just send the next one in…" The guard said.

Ranma smiled. She was a bit worried and agitated. Once Ryoga found out, and she would have no choice but to tell him the story after she was done here, then all hell would probably break loose back in Nerima. Oh well. Not her problem anymore. She'd been gone from Nerima for almost six months.

_Guess the shit was bound to hit the fan sooner or later…_ Ranma thought despondently as the next fan walked in for her autograph.

_**--  
--**_

Ranma sat smacking the face of the now-dressed lost boy rather firmly. They were in a secluded back alley in a ward of Tokyo between Mokohada where her autograph signing booth had been, and Nerima.

"Wh-what? Where am I?" Ryoga asked tiredly.

"Come on, P-chan. Wake up." Ranma replied harshly and smacked his face again. She knew Ryoga could barely feel the slaps so it didn't make her feel the slightest bit of regret.

"R-Ranma… Ranma!" Ryoga cried drearily first, alert the second, his awareness finally catching up with him.

Ranma smiled down at him, goofily. "Heya, cutie! What's up!?"

Due to the fact that Ryoga's mind couldn't possibly comprehend the words just sent at him by his most bitter rival, he opted to simply let them slide over him like water on glass. That done, he opted for the most simple reaction.

"Ranma! I can't believe you! How dare you impersonate miss Lakara! I can't _believe_ how low you would stoop! Ranma! Pepare to—!"

_Wham!_

The impact of Ranma's hand on Ryoga's face this time left a deep imprint. "I am Lakara Uundo, Ryoga." Ranma explained. "Anyway, You have absolutely no right whatsoever to get angry at me ever again, jackass!"

Ryoga blinked. And blinked again. "No way! I refuse to believe it…"

Now he was staring at Ranma. Her dress was that of Miss Disney Japan. The newest face add for the entire theme park. She wore a fuku skirt that was short beyond reason. Her breasts were covered by what appeared to be a band and her stomach was showing. Nothing was covering her shoulders either and beyond that, she wasn't really wearing much of anything save for a dense, beautiful circlet pulled back behind her bangs. Her hair, unbound and flowing, hung down to the small of her back.

"I… don't believe it." Ryoga murmured as he truly saw what Ranma was doing. Then. His face broke into a chuckle. "Y-you… are…"

Ryoga burst into laughter. "Oh my god, Ranma! Hah hah! What brought this on!? Finally decided to become a girl? Hah hah! Oh this is _rich!_" The lost boy exclaimed.

"Shh! Keep it down! I don't want them to find me, okay!?" Ranma demanded, nervously looking over her shoulder.

"What? Your fans!?" Ryoga asked through another fit of laughter. "Only natural for a _girl_ like you to have so many! I can't believe you really … you!"

"Yeah, Ryoga. I did. I became a girl for this. Get over it." Ranma replied harshly. "You were a big part of it anyways so unless you want to lose _your_ masculinity, I suggest you shut up." Her voice was cold and mirthless. Again, without the use of soul of ice.

Ryoga's mirth ceased and became a wilted look of guilt. "Ranma… Look man, er… I…"

Ranma's anger melted somewhat. "It's a long story okay Ryoga? And don't worry about that. I forgave you a long time ago." She said, only just now turning to look towards him.

It was then that Ryoga realized that Ranma had been watching both sides of the alley intently. Making sure no one was coming.

"Wanna hear it? The story I mean." She asked. And then, she unzipped the bag he hadn't realized she'd been holding, pulling out her usual Chinese outfit.

Ryoga just stood there, a bit shocked. Then he answered, "Y-yeah. I… Yeah, I do."

Once she finished dressing she reached for her long and unbound hair. Pulling forth the strand of string her hair had always been bound her hair with, she quickly became the Ranma Ryoga knew best.

"You were my fan, Ryoga?" Ranma asked quirkily.

Ryoga grinned back sheepishly. "I… well… yeah… before I found out it was you! Again! Dammit, Ranma, why are you always taunting me!?"

"Hey I didn't even mean to this time! I'm not modeling to taunt you! I'm doing it for the money. And… the fame is… nice. And… well… for…" Ranma said with a blush.

Ryoga's eye twitched. Ranma… blushing? Like a regular school girl! "Are you… sure you're Ranma?"

Ranma grinned. "Come on! There's someone I want you to meet! I'll start the story on the way, okay?"

Ryoga nodded reluctantly as his hand was taken by the cute red-headed girl. Was this girl really _Ranma!?_ She may be dressed like herself now but she certainly wasn't acting it. They walked out of the alley, she leading him at a fast pace. Even as they walked though Ryoga could tell that there was something different about Ranma. It was a subtle thing but her stance, the way she held his hand and dragged him, looking back at him every few minutes almost _fondly_. She radiated '_cute girl.'_

Ryoga thought that if it wasn't so funny he'd be terrified. He knew what he and Akane had done had really traumatized Ranma… so much that he hadn't seen the man in almost six months at least. But had it truly been enough to drive her to… _this?_ As he pondered the girl began to speak

"Well, It all started when I saw you and... well, when I saw you two together. It… hit me really hard. I loved her, you know? Anyway, it was after that, I was pretty much brain dead. I was just wandering aimlessly for… weeks I think. Then, one day, in the middle of a thunderstorm…"

_**----**  
_

_Author's Notes:_

So whatcha think? Go on! Click the next button! I came out with Chapter One as well! Leave reviews on both though because it's proper payment.

Be looking forward to the first chapter of "The Anarchists" in the near future. It's coming. Slowly. But it's coming.

"Mark in the Lace" is also on its way. I'm also proud to announce that I have finally completed planning for the entire fic. Meaning that everything that will happen is firmly set both in my head and on paper outlines. Probably looking at another eight to ten chapters. But, with god as my witness, I swear to be the first person to complete a Wheel of Time Crossover fic! (Lightning Cracks in the background.)

I hope you guys liked this! It's rather unusual of me. Pure romance is a rarity when it comes to me (If anyone knows me, which I'd like to think they do.) But well, here is my shot into the world of… non action.

Final note: Join Vex's Forum! I got a bet goin' to see how many we can get here! This is the url is below. Minus the spaces and add the dots and you have it. See you there perhaps? I hope you enjoy this and remember to click **"Submit a Review**" and then **"Next"** okay!?

Ja!

http:// ranmarpzero (dot) proboards80 (dot) com / index (dot) cgi


	2. Another Like Him

Here's chapter one! Considering you probably just read the prologue I hope you enjoyed it and like this just as much. Corniness beware! _**  
**_

_**--  
Chapter One: Another Like Him  
--**_

**I**t was a raining. Not a light rain either. A wet and desolate thunderstorm raged across the Komattane ward of Tokyo. There were a few people out and about, trying to get what little protection umbrella's offered and running, desperately seeking out warmth and indoors, but only a few. Rain pattered on the ground all over, whipped about by the wind like a slave, bending to the will of the unseen air currents. Umbrellas had become almost useless in this type of weather.

It was dark for midday, even dark for a thunderstorm, and it seemed to create a mood that hovered over the entire town.

Futaba Shimeru, a young man of about seventeen, was slowly making his way through the rain, watching as people ran. It had been a long and stressful evening, and now he was trudging home despondently from his girlfriend's home. His ex-girlfriend's home. He was depressed but he couldn't say to himself that he hadn't seen this day coming. After all he had been the one who ended it. Misaki, beautiful as she was, had not been the girl for him. He had known that for a while now but hadn't been able to bring himself to tell her until just an hour ago.

Looking down, he watched the rain hit the ground. The entire sidewalk was covered in one massive puddle. Lightning cracked across the sky as the wind whipped and beat at him. He didn't have an umbrella, but if he did he probably wouldn't be any less soaked.

"Dammit! This sucks!" He screamed suddenly, kicking a puddle without remorse.

He never wanted to hurt her… He'd _never_ wanted to hurt her. But he couldn't shake the feeling that, if he stayed with her, he'd be wasting his time… A thing which made him feel terrible, but he'd had no choice. She'd cried, but he didn't transform. It was the first time that had ever happened. He'd had to work to get his control that strong but he knew it would be worth it in the long run. Hoped it would…

In the end, she had calmed down and they had talked. By the time he left, she had begun to feel better but still… it hurt. Tears were flowing down his eyes. Tears he'd been holding back since he'd said those words. Those two dreadful words. _It's over._

Tears trailed down his face but he wasn't sobbing. He hoped that was a good thing. A bright future was ahead he hoped. A bright future and a bright new day tomorrow. Thoughts like that helped a little. A smidgeon. Nothing more. He was lonely. He felt cold and not at all because of the rain.

He stopped trudging and turned, desperately, entwining his hands in a tall metal link fence beside the sidewalk. Biting back a sob, and his lip at the same time, he thought about the memories he had with Misaki. Great memories. Great days. She had been his love, his friend, his confident for two years now but… it was just… nothing anymore.

He shook his head, spewing his soaked hair about rigorously, thought it didn't do much considering the rain.

_Stop beating yourself up for this, Futaba-kun! You knew it was coming! _He screamed to himself in his mind. It didn't help.

He flung about wildly, kicking water and dirt and the fence and anything else kickable but not breakable. Why!? Why did it hurt so much?

Unable to vent enough physically he sat down in the rain, morbidly, letting the tears flowing down his cheeks intermingle with the rain. Cold, numb, alone, and foolish were the thoughts that ran haphazardly through his mind.

Sobbing fluttered through his ears but it took some moments before he realized that it was not his own sobbing. He twitched his ears up, sniveling as he listened and heard the same sounds he had been making, coming from a nearby alley way.

His face red, he got up. Someone else in pain? Maybe he could help them? Maybe they could help him? Maybe he was completely out of his mind? Teary eyed and red faced, he made his way into the alley, and was greeted with the sight of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Luscious soaked red hair cascaded down, landing on shoulders covered by an equally red and soaked shirt. A boy's clothes, the pants were blue-black slacks, tied to her with a thin black belt. Her lips, red as a rose, with the same gentle delicacy as one too, held his gaze transfixed on her. Her skin was pale and covered in goose-bumps at all visible spots, making her seem only more beautiful. She lay on the ground eyes into the wall, trying desperately to hold back sobs, and only barely succeeding.

Futaba gulped, still not recovered from his own tears. "Y-you okay, miss?"

She turned to him and glared, blue eyes as deep as a midsummer sky burning hatred into his skull. "Go away! L-leave me alone!" Came her harsh words as she turned her eyes back to the building in anguish. The rain pounded on her, draping her hair about her face as she heaved, trying desperately to stop crying.

"I… I'm sorry… you'll freeze to death out here miss!" Futaba interjected, his sense of nobility outweighing the girl's demands.

The girl paid him no mind, her face buried in her arms against the wall. Futaba, unsure of what to do, chose to go forward. He didn't know this girl, but he hoped he could make her feel better somehow.

"L-look. I don't know what's wrong but… maybe we can help each other huh?" He asked gingerly.

He sniffed loudly, proof of his own tears, prompting the girl to glance in his direction once more, though this time not in a death glare. It became obvious that the girl could tell he'd been crying, trying to hold back the tears every bit as much as she.

"I... I don't need help! I don't need anyone! _Anyone! _Especially not some… some, _boy!_" The girl screamed indignantly. There was a shiver in her voice. How long had she been outside? Much longer than him. She was soaked on levels his clothes couldn't compare to.

"Everyone needs help sometime…" He sniffed loudly and sneezed as he spoke, tears trailing down his cheeks again as his thoughts returned to his ex-girlfriend. "I know I do…"

She saw him, and for a moment her face turned to sympathy… then it became that same glare. "Y-you think I'm stupid? You're all humble and lowly now but I bet all you want is a good night with a crying girl! You're outta luck, jackass! Go away!" She insisted firmly.

Futaba felt… anger. Who was this girl to tell him what he wanted? "Hey! I'm just here trying to help! I just got out of a two year relationship and made the girl who I adored for three years cry! I've seen enough crying girls for a lifetime! You're going to _freeze_ Uwa Ninjin!"

The red-head blinked. As well she should. Futaba blinked at his own words. Carrot top had been the first thing to come to mind, talking about her. She raised a delicate hand to her lips while still sobbing.

The girl turned and sat with her back against the building. She curled her knees into her chest and murmured, "C-carrot… top…"

Burying her face in her arms, knees curling her into a ball, she began sobbing once more, dryly. She still tried vainly to hold back the tears. Hold back the utter depression.

"I… I'll be fine… Please go… okay?" She sniveled through her tears and the rain.

Futaba would not. "No! You've got to get inside before you catch pneumonia!"

"I said leave me alone!" The girl screamed again. Her mood was shifting wildly, or perhaps she had just been shocked by the nickname he had used.

"I won't! Please… If you won't go inside somewhere at least tell me what's wrong!" He exclaimed over the lightning that cracked suddenly in tandem with her and his voices.

An array of new emotions sprang up on the girl's face. Want. Need even… She wanted to talk to _someone_. Not him, more than likely, but someone. In anger almost, she turned away from him, leaning her head against the wall, still curled into her tight ball, face turned from him.

He walked to her slowly. She seemed easily agitated so he did not want to startle her or anything…

_Why am I doing this? _He asked himself, even as he turned his back to the wall and sat down, behind her.

"Why… why… what did I do wrong?" The red-head asked herself, eyes in her knees.

"Probably nothing." Futaba said, interjecting his opinion and hoping he hit something.

"No! No it was _my_ fault! It must have been!" She replied, as anger temporarily burned through grief. "But… I don't know what I did! She… she… I love…" Greif came back in full. The girl was no longer making apparent effort to stop her sobs. Or if she was he couldn't tell.

Slowly, gingerly, he reached out a hand to her turned back, and placed it on one shoulder. "Please… calm down. Please. You can't stay out here like this… come with me okay? We can go to a coffee shop or som—!"

She was glaring at him before he saw her move, intense eyes burning holes right through to his soul. "I don't need some _boy, _telling me what to do, alright!? F-for the last time, le'me alone!"

"If you're set against talking to a boy then maybe a girl will do." Futaba seethed angrily as she felt her emotion become active enough to bring about her transformation. In front of the red-head's eyes Futaba… _shifted._ Her form became smaller and lithe, too small for the boys cloths she wore. Her hair, once black, became a light and bushy blonde as she became female.

The red-head's eyes bulged. Her mouth opened as she tried to say something, shock more than evident on her face, drowning out her depression.

"Will you talk _now? _Or at least come inside with me somewhere?" Futaba asked. He'd known it was a risk to change in front of this girl but something had made him take it. Instinct? Feminine intuition? God? It could have been any.

"You're like… me…" the girl whispered.

Futaba's eye rose a bit. _Like me?_ What did she mean by that?

"I… I don't believe it…" The red-head said in a mixed state of shock, and awe. "Someone who… changes… like me…"

Shocked hands moved slowly towards Futaba. The blonde didn't move as the red-head touched her hands to her face. Then she reached down and poked her in the breast. "J-just like me…"

Futaba sincerely doubted that. It wasn't exactly normal to change gender and she doubted this red-head did. Ow, that poke had hurt, though!

"Could you at least tell me your name?" Futaba asked, gingerly, rubbing her now aching breast. "I'm Futaba Shimeru."

The girl was still staring in wide-eyed shock. "I… I'm um… R-Ranma. Ranma Saotome… How did you… I never… I…"

Taking her to her new role, and newfound comforting abilities that she knew she _radiated_ in her girl form, Futaba took on the act of a girl perfectly. "It's very nice to meet you Miss, Ranma-chan. C-could you, maybe tell me what's wrong now? I… I can't just let you sit out here in the rain, alone…"

Ranma didn't seem to know what to do. She just stared vacantly, trying to understand. Lightning cracked once more though this time it was a more distant crack. The rain had faded by now a little. It still pounded the both of them relentlessly, yet it wasn't so dense that they couldn't hear each other.

Futaba sighed, her blonde hair sopping wet managing to reach her shoulders. Perhaps telling his story would make the girl more receptive to coming out of the rain. "It was about two and a half years ago. I was a regular high school guy. Born a guy, and lived as one."

She had Ranma's attention at least, Futaba surmised. _More than her attention_. He thought as he looked at her. Her eyes were piercing him. Needing this story, hanging off every word! Why? He couldn't understand but he felt her burning need for his story.

"I was just a regular high school guy." Futaba repeated. "When… suddenly one day I was in the bathroom. My wrestling team captain had given me a porn mag."

While the burning need to hear more of Futaba's story remained, the red-head blanched at that, irritation and disgust crossing her features.

_Just like every girl…_ Futaba thought sagely.

Even so, the blonde continued. "I was a regular guy. I got excited like most guys would. And that's when I… _changed_. Probably served me right. I- er… It's a family condition, I found out later that day. Whenever we reach maturity… puberty basically, we start to change gender's whenever we become highly emotional. Excitement usually does it the most."

It wasn't excitement doing it now though. Anger it had been, and now nervousness at feeling so… exposed to a complete stranger who seemed like her very life was hanging on the edge of his story. Even without these, Futaba had gotten her control to the point where she could manipulate the change at will… for the most part.

"I was a lot younger then. I was in love with this girl… Misaki. It took a long time for me to finally tell her. I first told her I loved her… like this, before she even knew about it. How do you think that went over?" Futaba asked, hoping to be able to get the dumbstruck girl to speak.

"N-not very well. I guess. W-what happened? Did you…" Ranma replied, genuine interest in her eyes as she wiped tears and rain from them.

"Oh… I can't recall out here in this rain… perhaps a warm building would jog my memory and keep us both from freezing to death? This body gets so _cold!" _Futaba shivered as she smirked at the blinking Ranma.

"D-don't I know it…" The red-head agreed solemnly with her own shiver. She smiled back, or tried to at least; her eyes were still red with tears. She laughed a little as she wiped her eyes, and it seemed to help her recover. "I-I… I guess I could. I just… can't believe there's s-someone like m-me." The girl was shivering now, not sobbing.

Futaba looked at the girl skeptically. There it was again. That 'like me' the girl kept repeating. What, was the girl really a guy? Somehow it was becoming a bit more believable.

"Come on. I'll take you to a café near here. It's got really good hot chocolate, even though it features ice cream. I'll tell you what happened, okay?" Futaba asked, with a smile. Even as she did so, she felt herself twitching. The change was coming. She could have stopped it, she knew, but something stopped her.

_The damn feminine intuition of my female half had better not get me in trouble. _Futaba thought as she trusted let the change overtake her once more.

"I-I… okay." Replied the startled red-head, as she watched blonde and beautiful fade to black and muscular.

Futaba stood, giving the girl what he hoped was a comforting grin, and offered a hand. Which she quite promptly glared at and ignored, standing on her own accord easily. He looked at her, trying to understand. This girl was the epitome of independent it seemed, and yet minutes ago she had been bawling her eyes out. Trying not to, at least, but failing miserably. Most people sought comfort when something was making them feel that badly.

_Who is this strange girl?_ He thought, as he began to exit the alley, Ranma in toe.

_**--  
--**_

"Wait, wait, wait! You're telling me that you were just wandering the streets and caught a glimpse of this guy turning into a girl? Do you know how ludicrous that sounds?" Ryoga raged impatiently.

Both Ranma and Ryoga were walking along, Ranma dragging the lost boy by the hand to make sure he didn't follow in the footsteps of his nickname. It was getting dark. Probably nearing the later afternoon and the scenery about the sidewalk was an amazing sight. The landscape was immaculate. Buildings both tall and small, were well kept and grass grew along the sidewalks. The roads had few cracks and the houses seemed of a wealthy nature. All in all the scenery seemed to fit the mood of the story Ranma had just begun to weave.

Ranma gave him a pointed look. "It is _me_ we're talking about here, Ryo-kun." Ranma said, twisting the affectionate nickname into a minor insult. "Odds tend to have a problem of not existing when I'm involved."

Ryoga blanched again. Oh how this girl _grated_ at him! He really didn't have anything to say to her though. It's not like he could tell her to prepare to die anymore. He'd destroyed her happiness once. Water under the bridge and all that. All in all, he was glad that Ranma had forgiven him for the most part. He still saw a clenched jaw every now and then from under the red-heads facade but for the most part he knew that they were not and would never be bitter rivals again.

Especially not with her acting like _this! _At this rate, Ryoga might start to actually _like_ the jackass!

"R-Ranma…" Ryoga began, cautiously. "You know… Akane… misses you."

Ranma's smile became a death glare in an instant, burning through his eyes, blue orbs tearing into his very soul with barely controlled rage. Ryoga sweat-dropped worriedly. Ranma could pull of that feminine anger trick as good as her mother could now! It was terrifying.

"Hmph… Akane. How are you and her doing pig-breath?" Ranma quipped.

The nickname grated at Ryoga but he was a little older now. A little more mature. So was Ranma for that matter.

"We ah… erm… we're doing good, Ranma. Real good. I… well…" Ryoga twitched nervously. If Ranma had a knife, Ryoga would swear the girl would be licking it in anticipation. Ryoga sighed. He'd expected this. Hoped never to have to be the mediator between Ranma and Akane, but no matter what he did he knew he would end up with that end of the stick. He sighed again. "Ranma. Akane is… really sorry about what she di—!"

"Drop it, Ryoga. I don't want to talk about _her._" Ranma's tone was so cold that Akane should have frozen solid from the sheer power of it, no matter how far away she was.

"She wants to see you, Ranma. We've all been looking for ages… her most of all." Ryoga told her pointedly, ending up on the receiving end of another glare. He winced but only so much. He knew he was partly to blame for this too. Why Ranma didn't seem to have any problems with him was probably the biggest shock of them all.

"Please… drop it Ryoga? I don't want anything to do with her." Ice wasn't in it this time yet there was still a small grit of teeth. The temperature of the surrounding area had gone down now too. Soul of Ice.

That was a lie. Ryoga was certain. Ranma still loved Akane… betrayal and anger overshadowed the love, but Ranma would sooner destroy the world then harm a hair on one Akane Tendo. Knowing this, Ryoga still decided to drop the issue. He didn't want Ranma involved with Akane either. He did want Ranma around though. The raven-haired man was a friend. Ryoga had gotten Akane, and by proxy, destroyed Ranma's happiness. Ranma had forgiven him for… some reason but was now full of nothing but anger for Akane. All water under the bridge for the lost boy though. And why the currently female pigtailed martial artist wasn't ripping one, Hibiki Ryoga's head off, Ryoga didn't think he would ever understand.

At least, he didn't understand until the very reason appeared on three blocks down the street, walking casually.

"Futaba-kun! Ohayo!" The red-head announced excitedly. Then she blasted towards the man she'd suddenly singled out, standing in the distance, leaving a shocked Ryoga blinking at a dust cloud.

"Oy, Ranma-chan! Ohayo, Bishoujo!" The plain looking man standing at the end of the sidewalk exclaimed seeing the red-head dashing towards him. Waving a hand he anticipated the rushing girl.

Ranma leapt and landed gracefully in the raven haired man's arms, swinging around once or twice in innate joy.

Ryoga was left blinking in shock. Perhaps… Ranma _didn't_ care about Akane anymore? If… _this_ was any indication. What did the man call Ranma? Bishoujo? _Beautiful Girl!_ Why was he still _alive!?_

Ryoga's shock increased by tenfold as he watched Ranma- _Ranma! –_hugging and nuzzling the man's shoulder!

"Wh-what… What…"

Ranma turned and looked back the fifteen or twenty meters she had dashed, grinning widely at Ryoga. "Ryo-kun! Come here!" She shouted excitedly, raising one hand to wave while keeping the other firmly lodged around the man's shoulder. "I want you to meet Futaba-kun!"

Ryoga almost fainted.

After a few moments to firm himself to the image that he was seeing, not completely certain it was not a dream, Ryoga strode forward.

As he approached, Ranma and the man, Futaba-kun, came to him to meet half way holding hands. Once they reached each other, Ranma left the close touch she held with the boy and walked towards Ryoga.

Rage erupted in Ryoga. There was no way. No way in hell! "Ranma what the hell is going on here!? I sort of thought that you would have grown up a little in the past six months but the only thing this could possibly be is some sick game to—!"

"Ryoga. This is Futaba Shimeru. My boyfriend." Ranma intoned delightedly.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ryoga-san." The man said, his hand proffered.

Ryoga glanced at the hand for a moment, his mouth still open, words still on his tongue.

Then, he decided fainting wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

_**--  
--**_

Trudging through the rain, Ranma Saotome followed the strange man who changed genders like she did, making their way slowly to a place called Linda's Café. "Simple shop. Immaculate ice cream. Good hot chocolate, too." Futaba had said. Ranma was more than inclined to believe that he wasn't lying about the ice cream. It would be unusual to find _bad_ ice cream. And hot chocolate sounded delicious, freezing as she was. The temperature was about fourteen degrees. Mildly chilly without the rain. With it, freezing.

They reached the shop quickly and in silence. It was a decently large place with a moderate sized foyer and a place to hang coats. Neither had coats, though Ranma shouldered an enormous pack.

A few blinks of surprise echoed at their entry. Most people didn't come in soaked to the bone even with the rain pouring down as it was.

"Futaba-kun?" A bald, stocky man standing behind the register asked, almost worriedly. "Lord, Futaba what in the world are you doing out in the rain like this? Come, come on. To the back with you. Who is the lady?" A plethora of questions that were met with no answer. Apparently none was expected either as the man place a friendly arm across the tall boy's shoulder and began to guide him through the mildly startled patrons.

He guided the boy a short ways before looking back to Ranma, waiting patiently in the doorway. "Come on fool girl! Kids these days…" He exclaimed. "Come into the back, I'll get you some blankets and a cup of hot chocolate. This goes on your tab Futaba!"

Futaba grinned. "Th-thanks Mr. Shiroto."

He led them through the patrons, sopping wet and all, across the wood paneled floor and into a small back room, and then exited as fast as he had come. The room was very similar to the outer part of the café, with benches and tables. The difference was its air. It was a romantic place though, not with the current mood. Even with the current mood it portrayed an… ambience.

Ranma was just left standing in the middle of the room waiting. Suddenly the bald man, Mr. Shiroto Futaba had named him, appeared in the door with two fuzzy nylon blankets.

"Here you are. Here you are. Now… you two obviously need to be left alone. I don't know what's wrong or who you are miss, but Futaba is an honorable boy… or girl… and I know whatever he's done or whatever has happened, he'll do his best to help, alright?"

Ranma blinked. Not often someone was praised that highly. She looked over at the raven-haired boy who grinned sheepishly.

The old man gave a smirk, to which Futaba blushed but said nothing. Ranma merely looked on, confused at the odd moment.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll be back with some hot chocolate. It's the best you'll ever have M'lady." The man said with a studious bow.

Ranma felt decidedly odd. It was rare to meet an elderly person who she would have felt badly about disappointing, but this was one such person. Weak and frail, she could break the man in half as easily as she could break a twig and yet it was _him_ who received her respect. Odd…

"H-hai… Mr. Shiroto-san." She said precariously.

As the man left an awkward moment came between the two blanket-covered teens.

After a moment of simple standing, Ranma took the blanket off her shoulders and unfolded it, its length spilling out onto the floor. That done, she wrapped the top around her head scrubbing the dry and more importantly _warm_ cloth into her scalp. Then, she simply wrapped the entire blue blanket around her body and sat down in one of the mildly comfortable chairs.

Broken from the silence Futaba moved to dry his own hair and clothes a little before wrapping the blanket around him.

"H-how… How do you change?" She asked suddenly as she sat down, her own blanket now firmly wrapped around her wet-clothed body.

"I… It's just a genetic trait. My entire family does it. It's… hard to explain, and kinda unbelievable." He replied, taking his own seat gingerly.

The girl cracked a smile; a small and feeble smile it was but it was there. "I eat 'unbelievable' for breakfast…" She said despondently.

Futaba grinned. Strange comment. Strange comment from a strange girl yet somehow it was worth grinning at.

"What… um… Miss Ranma… could you please tell me—!"

"Stop calling me 'Miss' dammit!" The red-head erupted suddenly, leaning forward, eyes burning with intensity. "You change forms! You shoulda' been able to figure it out by now… I'm a guy!"

"G-gomen…" Futaba stuttered, withdrawing from that intense gaze. "I… I'm sorry but… You… I…"

Ranma's glare faded as tears began to brim again. "I… I don't make a very good one do I? C-crying like some damn _girl_! I… I understand… why you… didn't realize it."

She reached her hands to her eyes, sniveling beginning again, but she was a little more successful in holding them back this time. That meaning that the tears smeared over her cheeks only made her look like she'd been in a light shower instead of a thunderstorm. Her hands raked her eyes to no avail.

"I—I… God I… She…" Tears still flowed. She lowered her head into her hands completely, her shoulders rising and falling with her surmounting sniffs. "I… loved her but she…"

Futaba didn't remember moving but suddenly he felt himself by her side. And female for that matter. Her arms snaked around the weeping red-head, gently as a feather landing on a pillow.

The red-head looked up, into the now blonde haired girl's eyes. A moment of pain, a moment of… mirrors. Ranma saw that Futaba was not in so good of a mood herself, her own eyes brimming as thoughts of Misaki flooded across her mind. In that moment, Ranma felt a sense of… acceptance that he nor she had ever felt before. Without even understanding why, Ranma let go of some of her pride for the first time, and embraced the comforting, pain stricken face of a complete stranger.

It could have been hours, or minutes. Neither knew for sure. But… somehow… something felt… right.

Thoughts of the boy who really hid under this girl's skin flitted across Ranma's mind but only mild thoughts.

_Maybe… not such a stranger. _She thought, her tears soaking the petite girl's shirt.

Neither of the girl's noticed the door crack open, and then close slowly. Two cups of hot chocolate were left on the counter just inside the door though, steaming and delicious.

_**--  
--**_

"I don't believe it. It _has_ to be a trick. It absolutely _has_ to be!" Ryoga interrupted firmly even as he watched in shock. He wasn't sure how to be properly appropriate. Let his mouth hang open or just watch. Either way he knew that something must have happened to Ranma to make him this way! Someone brainwashed him or… or _something!_

He had awoken some time ago and been listening to the story of their first meeting, enlightening how Ranma had been caught spying on Futaba, after she'd been following the boy for most of the day. A good story. A good lie. What did they take him for? Some kind of idiot? The ludicrous story spouting from Ranma's mouth was most definitely utter lies.

Ranma shrugged uncaringly, her hands resting atop those of the man whose lap she currently resided in. His arms were encircled lovingly around her waist, tickling her stomach gently. She giggled a bit, shocking the lost boy even more, reveling in his surprise. She'd found comfort in seeing that shock on his face.

Suddenly a sinister thought crept into Ranma's mind. Nabiki with a shocked face on camera. Priceless. Again she giggled mirthfully as she tried to summon the picture in her mind. With any luck she would see that someday!

Ryoga's eyes were just getting wider and wider. "I _don't_ _believe it!_" He said as if denying what he was seeing would make it true.

"Look Ryoga, I'm telling you, ya gotta settle down. What's there not to believe? And why is it making you so mad? I'd think you'd be happy that you don't have to worry about me and… _her_ anymore." Ranma asked, realizing the pure anger on bacon-breath's face. Even as she spoke she couldn't keep the venom out of her words at the thought of the blue-haired temptress she had once loved.

"Look at you, Ranma! Look at what you've become! I don't believe it! Were you hit on the head or something? Or did _he_ brainwash you? That's the only way it would be possible! And even you don't deserve someone playing with your mind!" Ryoga shouted, angrily, glaring daggers at Futaba.

Ranma blinked. And then grinned widely. "R-Ryoga… That sounds as stupid as Kuno, you know?"

Ryoga blanched and then glared. "Don't compare me to that idiot! _Look at you! _This isn't you Ranma! This isn't who you are! I… I think of you as… sorta a friend… and I _won't_ let someone steal your head! Alright? The Ranma I know is a Man Among Men!"

Ranma was… touched. Ryoga was sounding almost noble.

"Plus, how could I possibly kill you if you are a girl!?" Ryoga added as an afterthought.

Ranma's grin creaked as a sweat-drop trailed down her brow. "Ryoga… I'm telling you, I'm not brainwashed. I was… lonely and we became friends quick because of our… similarities. It just happened okay? Plus, I'm still a man."

Futaba, edgy due to the brute man's glare, was simply paying attention and holding the red-head. She'd talked of how she would act, how she would need her support when the day came that her family and friends finally caught up with her. Him. All she'd said she wanted was for Futaba to be there. And that was all she would do until Ranma felt comfortable.

Plus, the red-head was right, much as it annoyed him. Ranma was far more a man than Futaba Shimeru ever was. But the opposite was true with femininity. Futaba had known for quite some time that it was impossible for her to be a man with a woman he loved in his arms. It just… didn't work. Emotion rose, and she inevitably changed. And he had accepted that his role would end up that of a woman. Not a problem at all for Ranma Saotome.

But for the moment, Futaba reveled in playing the masculine support role. Ranma rarely needed it.

Ryoga's eye rose. "I can really tell…" He replied sarcastically to the red-head. "You _certainly _look the part." He instantly adopted an extremely feminine position, mocking Ranma. "Please, just Lakara, or Lakara-chan if you prefer!" He cooed mockingly.

Ranma's eye twitched, anger rising until she almost burst out in fury. Quickly though, she collected herself and then huffed. "I'm a man, when I'm a man. When I'm a girl, I'm a girl. Or at least, that's what I'm trying. Futaba does it… when he becomes a girl in body, he becomes one in mind. Th-the… same thing happens to me Ryoga. You have your own transformation, and I'm sure the Ryoga I know wouldn't eat pig treats like P-chan does."

Ryoga colored as realization swept across his features. He'd never thought that… that the curse would possibly effect Ranma in the same way it did to him and Mousse. How his mind was altered to feel a sort of mothering relationship from Akane. How Mousse would feel the urge to fly South when winter rolled around. He'd never thought that…

"I always denied it as hard as I could… but… Futaba never denied his femininity. As a matter of fact he became a model not long after he became a girl. The first day he was a girl he was attracted to guys, too." Ranma said in a lecturing tone.

Ryoga blanched at the onslaught of information. Ranma had felt… feminine? Wait… Futaba Shimeru became a girl. Futaba Shimeru. Ryoga knew he'd heard the name before but he couldn't recall whe—!

Turning his gaze to Futaba, Ryoga practically squealed. "You… couldn't possibly turn into… _the_ Futaba Shimeru! Number One female model of Japan! Could you?"

Futaba smile. He didn't think Ranma would mind if he spoke up this time. "Eheh. Y-yeah. It'd be good if you didn't say that too loudly though. It's a family secret."

Ryoga felt light headed. "I… I think I'm going to faint again…" He murmured as his head spun. "You... you really just turn into a girl whenever you get excited? Every time you become emotional you just… change? Just like that?"

Futaba blushed. He didn't like being so open with his curse to strangers. Ranma trusted the man though and Futaba would trust Ranma with his life. He had before.

"Y-yeah, I—!"

"Prove it!" Ryoga interrupted suddenly. "I wanna see."

Ranma grinned. She'd momentarily felt left out for a second there and was glad to be able to bring the attention back to her. With a winning grin she turned towards the boy behind her and yanked the buttons on her red Chinese shirt open exposing one of her rounded breasts to her boyfriend's eyes alone.

His face heated instantly and even more instantly, he shifted. Muscular became petite as he shrunk and became the number one idol star of Japan.

"R-Ranma-chan…" Futaba said in a bit of awe as she stared vacantly at the mound of flesh exposed before her.

Ranma whipped the shirt back together, buttoning it in the same motion and turned back to a shocked and awed Ryoga.

Giving the same winning grin, the girl smirked. "See? Told ya!?"

Ryoga could only sit with his jaw hanging open. The number one and number two idol stars of Japan were both male part of the time… and were dating.

Again, he fainted.

After a moment of looking at the unconscious boy, Ranma and Futaba turned to each other.

"He sure has a high tolerance for surprises, wouldn't you say?" Futaba asked wryly.

Ranma grinned as she withdrew a thermos.

**_----_**

_Author's Notes_

Chapter One. Complete! So, is it any good? Feel free to review again! I wouldn't mind one but two would make me kiss you! And I'm super sexy so you definitely want that. Well… unless you're a guy. Then you probably don't. Eheheh…

I already said most of what needed to be said at the end of the prologue! I'll post the link to the forum that I'd like people to visit again though. I can't wait to read your reviews! Thank you for reading.

Til' Next!

Ja!

http:// ranmarpzero (dot) proboards80 (dot) com / index (dot) cgi

Remember. **"Submit a Review." **It's a little box right down there. Look down… on your left… no too low. That's the Start Menu. A little higher. Ah! There you go! Now click and give me your love! (Or hate. XD)


	3. Love I Could Not Believe

Hello! How is everyone!? I don't really know why but for some strange reason lately I've been the happiest I've ever been. I don't have a girlfriend and nothing drastic has changed in my life whatsoever. I'm just… happy. Ain't it great? Heh. And when I'm happy, I write speedy!

As a note I'll give the **timelines**. This fic takes place at the end of the Ranma Manga about both a year and in the flashbacks half a year after Saffron. Futaba is a little different. It's already been stated that Futaba and Misaki were together for almost two years (putting Ranma and Futaba at the same age. Futaba was fourteen in his manga.) I'm completely dropping Volume seven and eight of the manga. Kurin doesn't exist. The Island exists and may play a part later but Kurin will probably never be mentioned in any way other than just in passing. The events of Futaba's discovery went about the same.

To those who are telling me that Ranma is OOC… um… duh?

One other note. To ShadowBakaSama: How dare you guess my plans! How dare you! Argh! Heh heh. Good call on the lime. It was, and is, part of my master plan. Not quite that way though.

**Note:** Mild Limage in the first scene! Not that this will stop you no matter your age, of course, but just a warning. Might need to bump the rating of the fic up a notch... hmm.

_**--  
Chapter Two: Love I Could Not Believe  
--**_

**A **hand slowly slid down her back, massaging and caressing her lithe feminine form. Another hand, the left twin to the first, gently held her head, cupped around her blonde hair.

She felt her arms subconsciously trail across a muscular frame. That hand on her back was trailing downward. So slowly… oh so _slowly_. The attention paid to her lower back had made her forget the hand caressing her head. It trailed around the back of her neck and up to her chin magically. Then slowly it moved down her neck, lightly caressing her skin.

Shivers of delight and anticipation crawled down her spine, even as that same anticipation permeated her mind. This was it. Really and truly it.

The hand slipped lower, her loosened and already unbuttoned pants allowing it easy access to touch her soft upper bottom. Still it trailed lower.

The other hand had not been idle either. It too moved lower, rubbing the exposed part of her cleavage sending more shivers. How was he so good at this? How! He had only been a man a few times!

A squeeze threw her thoughts out of her mind as the hand, still above her cotton panties, gripped her left cheek. Even in that same moment, the other hand threw caution to the wind and slipped up her tank top, and under the bra in one swift motion, still gentle as a light summer breeze.

The girl _moaned_ and almost cooed with pleasure. His lips approached swiftly and unexpectedly in the same way that everything else happening had. Kissing her, first at her neck, even as her right breast was massaged and molded to his palm, he began to slowly trail upward. The lips kissed up her neck, her throat, her cheek, and finally reached her lips. In that moment a gaze fixed on her. A gaze full of love and compassion and caring.

A man's gaze. A man's eyes.

As she looked down and saw the man before her, bile suddenly rose in her throat as disgust filled her.

_**--  
--**_

"Mister Shimeru! Would you kindly explain to me why you refuse to pay attention? This is the third time in two days! Finals are going to be soon and gazing out the window isn't going to get you anywhere!" The irate teacher exclaimed in paramount anger.

"G-gomen nasai, Sensei!" Futaba exclaimed waking from his dream in absolute terror. What had he been thinking!? Dammit!

"See that it doesn't happen again or I will be forced to take drastic measures." Komara Sensei said, her anger fading to mild irritation as she turned back to scraping on the chalkboard.

Breathing in abject relief Futaba sighed and returned to his thoughts. Finals weren't something he was worried about. He had been a fool. An absolute fool. What he should have done was swallow his disgust and go with it. But no… he'd been far too _stupid_ to do something _smart _like _that!_

Not that he hadn't tried… time and time again…

Mentally beating himself with a hammer, Futaba gazed at Misaki. Even though she was a girl, and was likely to remain so for quite some time, Futaba was not excited by the sight of her. The girl no longer sent those shivers up his spine. Why? He didn't know. He had loved her. He had been absolutely enthralled with her. So why? Why did his body, and even his emotions betray that love now?

He stared at the girl of his… at his friend. He couldn't keep lying to himself. She was _not_ the girl of his dreams. Not anymore. And it had been that very day that had erased her from them. That very memory. A tear trailed down his cheek and he quickly buried his face in his notes, pretending to be hard at work. He began to busy his pencil, his artistic hand beginning to form a picture, though of what he had no clue.

There were other reasons for the break up, he knew. Maybe they had been the main factors in the end of their relationship? Maybe. The girl was a nutjob! She couldn't cook worth a damn, or she could but it was so sweet that he would die of sugar overdose! She was annoying and jealous, both of every girl who batted an eye at him, and of him when he was a girl because _she_ wasn't a model, when the fool girl more than had the body for it! She was just too _nervous! _It drove him absolutely mad!

She had been everything he'd ever dreamed of but… he wanted more.

_What though? What? What do I want?_ Thought the now thoroughly depressed mind of Futaba Shimeru. He knew it wasn't Misaki. The girl thought she understood what was wrong with him, but she didn't. She couldn't understand. Many times after that they had tried to become intimate… and they had failed every time. Misaki had been able to change ever since the blood transfusion but it took a much higher level of emotion than it did for Futaba.

Try as he might, he could not stay a man when he wanted to be intimate. Nor could he be a woman for Misaki-kun. Perhaps that was all it had taken to rip them apart. He knew that as a girl he was attracted to men… but… disgust lingered. Strong, powerful, enveloping disgust that rose every time he became too intimate with Misaki-kun.

He sighed in depression.

_You've got no choice Futaba. You'll never master keeping yourself a man, so you better learn to like guys or you'll end up alone. _He told himself. Bah! When he was a man, the thought disgusted him, though admittedly not as much as it once did.

He looked down depressed, and was greeted with what was possibly one of the greatest drawings his hand had ever created.

"R-Ranma?" He whispered aloud.

Sure enough, the girl's portrait was there staring back at him drawn in grey pencil, and staring forlornly at something in the distance. Her pigtail, drawn to perfection, and her eyes downcast and sad. That was the happiest Futaba recalled seeing the girl. How had he drawn this? There was no way!

Hastily, yet delicately, he flipped the paper and filed it into his folder. Thoughts of the strange red-head brought both comfort and grief. A girl… a man… with worse problems than he had, as evident by the tears. By the grief. The torture written across the sobbing girl's eyes. A pang of guilt for not being able to do more for the heartbroken... man, rose in Futaba but he put that into the back of his mind. He hadn't seen Ranma in three weeks and doubted he ever would again.

The bell rang unceremoniously, echoing across the eardrums of the patrons of the school. Futaba rose with the same weak demeanor as most of the other students. Finals were coming. The end of the year and mid-school vacation were coming. They were tired of school and work, and none truly had much energy left for study.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of Futaba's neck prickled and stood on end. He turned, glancing sideways out the window, but whether he had felt something or not, he saw nothing. The room empted as he stared out the line of windows, still feeling like someone was watching him. After a bit, finding nothing, he sighed. Misaki still refused to talk to him; she had left the room without giving him a glance.

Futaba sighed again, knowing how it was now was for the best. Even if he, as a girl, did learn to like men, he didn't love Misaki anymore. He just hoped it wasn't his dislike of being intimate with another guy had been the cause. If it was... he'd probably always be alone. For who could understand better than Misaki, who herself could not understand?

Unbeknownst to the raven-haired boy, a red-haired girl hanging upside down just above the window, was watching him.

_**--  
--**_

Ranma glared at her target. A glare, filled with emotions of hatred, _self_-hatred and… something she was most definitely _not_ going to deal with, lanced through the hard glass and into the back of the retreating boy.

_You did something to me._ She thought as she gazed at him, trying to keep the… _thoughts_ at bay.

It was the last bell of the day and finally she would get the damn jackass to cure her! Her original plan had been to barge in and call out the damn sorcerer, no matter where he was, but she had been put off. Taking time to strategize she told herself. An excellent plan. She would wait till the damn boy was alone, corner him against a wall and beat the living soul out of him until he cured her of whatever damn magic that had been worked into her skull _this_ time!

"Why is it always me? Why can't the crazy people curse someone who doesn't have enough problems!? Why's it always gotta be _me, dammit!_" She realized she was screaming at nothing but she didn't care. This argument she was in with the sky had been a long lasting one. Since the damn blue arc above her never spoke back, all she could do was fume.

Students were beginning to file out of the building. The weather was bright and sunny though the sun was a bit lower on the horizon than usual. Winter was beginning to set in as evidenced by the slight chill in the air. Wind swept the fading leaves from the trees, buffeting them across the yard as the red-head walked forward with a mission promising pain.

Students who saw her pass made wide circles to avoid the dirty, red-aura emblazoned girl. Beautiful as she was deadly, Ranma Saotome was pissed.

Futaba was walking home now, and had been for about three minutes. Ranma had taken to hiding along buildings above her or in trees beside her, watching. He didn't _seem_ like an evil magician but… that was the only possible explanation. There simply was no alternative.

"There _has_ to be no other alternative! He _had_ to have done something to me. That's the only possible explanation." Thought Ranma, bitterly.

The boy had some danger senses, Ranma had reasoned. Every now and then he would shoot a glance directly to where Ranma was hiding. Of course, she being Ranma Saotome, he missed her completely. But he did notice the sense of someone watching him.

She decided enough was enough. The bastard was going to pay. And _there_ was her chance. She plummeted down from the tree in a dashing race and slammed a sledgehammer-esque foot into the boy, blasting him expertly into a back alley, even as regret ran though her system. She shook it off though. Part of the curse. Definitely.

She landed on her feet as the boy flew into the closed alleyway and skidded to a halt on concrete, slamming against the back wall in a senseless heap.

"Ah—agck.. Dammit!" The man screamed, suddenly transforming into a beautiful girl. Her shoulders were burned by the friction of skin on concrete and sliding but Ranma didn't care.

Quelling the pangs of sympathy, as they were nothing more than a product of the curse, Ranma strode forward, _bathed_ in fury. "You jackass!" She screamed.

The blonde looked up and saw Ranma, her red aura of fury billowing around her, and quivered in fear. "Y-You…! Wh-what did I… Aghk!?" The blonde stuttered as she backed away from the slowly advancing girl, still clutching the shoulder she had skid on, trying to push herself through the stone wall at her back.

"Take it off! Get rid of it!" Ranma screamed at the fallen girl. "I trusted you! T-told you things that I'd never have told anyone! I _trusted you!_" Ranma's voice rose ever louder as she advanced in nothing but pure fury. "How could you do this to me? Why!? What, did you get your jollies off of comforting me and then doing… _doing this!?_"

Futaba's eyes widened in confusion as the girl's aura wafted over her, all her instincts telling her that this would be the end of her if she didn't _move!_ What she had done? Doing what? "I-I never did anything to you! I—!" The girl was rambling in an utterly terrified stupor. The red-head's hair was flowing _upwards_ as lightning crackled around her, scorching the ground on which she walked. A demoness, or an angel, attacking prey.

"I _hate_ you!" Ranma screamed, as she finally came to stand directly over the terrified girl.

"P-please! I didn't do—!" Futaba said, shrinking away as she tried to sooth the hurricane in human form glaring down at her. Her efforts were ignored completely.

"Shut up! Just get rid of whatever it was that you did to me! Make. It. Stop!" Bellowed the hysteric red-head.

Trying again, Futaba quivered as she tried to grasp for reasoning. This girl wanted to kill her! "W-what are you talki—!"

"Don't play dumb! I know you did something! A love potion. A Koi Rod! Something! Do you have any idea how many… how many times I've felt 'em!? The hot chocolate! That must have been it! I'm not some idiot _girl_ for you to seduce, now get rid of it or I'll make _you_ a girl _permanently!_" Ranma shouted in near hysterics.

Voices in the red-head's mind were screaming at her in fury. _What the hell are you doing, you idiot!? She— HE didn't do anything to you! It's 'your' fault! He helped you and now you are—! _Ruthlessly, Ranma shook her head to clear the voices. It was _his_ fault! Futaba cursed her and now…! Now…!

"I d-didn't do a-anything! I s-swear." The girl was quaking in overwhelming fear clutching her skinned shoulder. Her eyes were wide and sweat trickled down her face.

Every muscle in Futaba's body was locked up in panic. Death hovered mere feet above her and everything in her body told her to find a way to run! Hide! Her heart moved like wildfire beating out of her chest like a jackhammer. Her mind raced but nothing. She had done _nothing_ to provoke such anger! Nothing! Sweat trailed down her cheeks and brow now, her arms and chest already soaked.

"Fine then! Dry up and die!" Ranma cried. She drew back her fist, heedless of the erupting voices in her head. If the bastard was _dead…! Lets see your curse mess with my head when you aren't around anymore, eh!?_

Her fist descended like lighting, blazing towards the blonde's face fully intending to destroy her.

And their eyes met…

Everything froze, as Ranma stared down into the tear-stained eyes of Futaba.

She backed away, her eyes twitching. Her hand twitching. Her entire _body_ twitching with the knowledge of what she had almost done. Her eyes never left Futaba's green orbs.

"Wh-what have I become?" She asked herself aloud, staring at the fist that had been mere inches from ending someone's life. Staring at the girl, shaking in terror, and her, a monster.

"I-I'm… God, I…" What could she do? As tears bloomed in the red-head's eyes yet again, she fled, bounding to the rooftops leaving a speechless and terrified blonde, dressed in a boy's clothes in her wake; her shoulder was burning with pain.

"R-Ranma…" Was all she could say, before consciousness left her.

_**--  
--**_

"That actually seems really… plain for you, Ranma." Ryoga said as he followed the other man.

Ranma sighed as he formed his reply. "I'm sick of always being the center of attention. I hated it back in Nerima… but I just never knew it. All the petty fights. All the squabbling… worst of all, _her_. I just couldn't stand it. When I met Futaba, things all just sorta, fell into place. We got to know each other for a while, and decided to try it. Haven't looked back since!"

Ryoga looked at the man; he was a man now, his right arm wrapped lovingly around the number one female model in Japan. Quite a catch, and Ryoga was happy for Ranma. If he told himself he'd feel happy for Ranma ever six months ago, he would have laughed in his own face. Still, that was just how things turned out. He had Akane, and everything was coming up roses for him too.

They day had dragged into afternoon as the sun had begun to set below the horizon slowly. Winter's chill was finally beginning to leave the air and dandelions infested every free inch of grass-lined sidewalk. The trees were coming up in blooms, cherry blossoms as well; all in all the weather reflected the joy that simply _radiated_ from the couple, making Ryoga smile.

"Where are we going?" He asked suddenly.

"Home. Ta-chan's got a shoot soon and I'm gonna watch. You can come too if you want. We can talk there while she works, but she's gotta get changed first." A few moments of silence occurred and the two looked at each other, signaling without words as couples do. Sooner or later, the blonde blushed once again and Ranma turned back to Ryoga, a huge blush of his own plastered across his face. "Ac-actually, we might be a few minutes, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside?"

Ryoga blushed too, catching implications he couldn't be certain of… until the pigtailed boy winked at him in a way intended more directly at the girl than Ryoga, earning him a light affectionate slap from the blonde, who as of yet hadn't had much to say.

"I… Well I don't have to stay if you're gonna… be busy…" Ryoga stuttered, profusely.

Ranma grinned again. "Relax, Ryoga. Sorry, Ta-chan. I don't think we have time, ya know?" Ranma said, cheerily.

She frowned a bit, and then grinned up at him. "Tonight. I want _more._ Okay?" The girl demanded almost hungrily even as her face became even more crimson than it already had been. She treated the words as Ryoga would a precious gift from heaven.

Without warning a red sports car zoomed by, probably doubling the speed limit, hitting a random puddle splashing water all over Ranma. Just Ranma. Ranma blinked and spluttered for a few moments and then turned to look at a dry, and giggling, Futaba. She gave a wry grin, shrugged, and continued on her way, now swaying her hips just a bit with a feminine gait, as opposed to the masculine demeanor _he _had held mere seconds ago.

Ryoga looked at the two, confusion crossing his features. Ranma was strange to him. The man's attitude, way of life, and pretty much everything about him had always been completely incomprehensible to Ryoga. He just didn't understand how Ranma ticked. He'd come to accept that he probably never would. But, now the boy before him was even stranger. Apply cold water, instant girl. And not just 'female' but 'girl.' The way she walked changed; the way she spoke and acted changed. Strangest of all was that she just didn't seem to _care_.

In all honesty, Ryoga had found himself slightly attracted to the red-head as a model. And now Ranma's unrelentingly upbeat personality was even corrupting Ryoga's usually dismal outlook on life. Currently dismal due to the fact that he couldn't get to Akane fast enough. Even that was now weighing in the back of his mind. Damn optimists.

"We're here, Ryo-kun!" Ranma-chan cooed as she turned to him with a feminine twist. "Home, sweet home."

Ryoga looked around at the small house on the corner of two adjoining streets. It had two stories but bigger houses stood around it. The Tendo's was more than double the size of this place. Still, it had a cozy outlook. Comfortable and decently spacious.

They entered the house, finding no one else home at the time. After a short bit of changing, Futaba, the girl, suddenly becoming _Futuba, _number one model of Japan, they left the house and were walking once again. Ryoga, upon seeing Futaba, had been amazed at the first sight of the blonde. Now though, in full cosmetic dress, wearing an outfit Ryoga didn't even think _Nabiki_ would be brave enough to try, the girl had become a goddess.

Trying forcibly to pry his eyes off the specimen of beauty that was Futaba, Ryoga turned his attention back to Ranma noticing that their conversation had come to a temporary halt.

"S-so… what are you, planning to do Ranma? Are you ever gonna go back to Nerima?" He asked, after listening to conversation made between his two companions mostly involving some manager named Gyoka.

Ranma turned back to look at the lost boy trailing behind her and her girlfriend. "Bah. Hell no. I… can't stand that place, Ryoga. Here is…" Ranma trailed off and glanced down, an adoring look in his eyes for his girlfriend. "_Here_ is home." The word 'here' was most definitely a reference to the girl before him. She blushed again.

_Was every day this… mushy for the great 'Man Among Men' nowadays?_ Ryoga contemplated.

WHAM!

"Stop doing that, dummy!" Futaba exclaimed, almost playfully as she ran ahead. Ryoga blinked, in utter astonishment. Ranma, now impaled no less than an inch into a brick wall, moaned.

"Wh-what the hell?" Ryoga said.

Ranma, the x's that had take place of her eyes slowly transforming back to normal, looked at him and grinned sheepishly, her face sporting a burning handprint. "Sh-she's starting. Heh. Guess we might be postponing what she was planning for tonight…"

Ryoga blinked yet again. "I… starting what?"

"I… err well… it's hers to tell. I can't really… say… It's private. Girl stuff, Ryo-kun. Just, if you find yourself really attracted to her for the next week, like unnaturally so, trust me, its not that you're falling in love." Ranma said, almost somberly. "I really wish there were a way to fix that problem of hers. She hates all the extra attention it gets her."

Ryoga, confused as he was, decided to let it go. He didn't understand and was content with that. Still though…

_Girl stuff?_ Thought his steadily overworked mind.

"I… You've really changed, Ranma." Ryoga said with a friendliness not previously known in him.

Ranma smiled up at the fanged boy, her wide eyes giving off happiness in waves. "Not so much as you think, anigo. You, on the other hand, have changed."

Ryoga was shocked, and even more so to find himself pleased. Ranma calling him 'elder brother' was… odd in at of itself. Probably a girl thing again. But who knew? "Maybe. Aka- well… she helped me grow up a bit. I want to know more, Ranma. About you now, I mean." Ryoga said, noticing the slight glimmer of anger flash across the red-head's face, prompting the quick subject change.

The anger faded as fast as it had come and she looked up at him, happily. "Come on. We'll talk while we walk. Futaba probably did that in order to let us talk some more anyways. Well… Let's see. You wanna know a little more about how me and her, or him as the case may be, got together?"

Ryoga nodded. Everyone grew older in time. The past six months had been the best of his life. He'd gotten his revenge, been forgiven for it, began to court the girl of his dreams, and had acquired what appeared to be a younger sister. Or brother. A good friend at least. Everyone grew older in time. He knew he had.

"Well, remember how I told you we met? She'd seen me spying on her, and just came up and asked what my problem was, thinking I was a news reporter or something. I couldn't understand how she did it! She'd flip from being a boy, a _man_, to being a girly girl! I… Well… I wanted… You gotta understand that my girl form was…"

_**--  
--**_

Slowly, his eyes opened. His shoulder ached and burned, but it felt soothed by comparison to the pain of his last memory. Ranma. Why would Ranma do that? _How_ did the girl do that?

Futaba shivered, unconsciously at the thought of that girl embellished with a coating of red painted air and crackling lightning surrounding a form and face of the utmost rage.

_Ranma… what in the world happened to you?_ The thoughts came unbidden but he wished he could understand anyways. Why had the girl attacked him?

Futaba's hand unconsciously trailed up to caress his untouched face. That fist had been so close. So _close._ He didn't know if the girl was half as strong as she had seemed there, but somehow Futaba knew that he had just encountered death and escaped by a hair. Had that fist connected, he didn't think he would be alive.

Looking around, he dimly recognized the interior of Linda's Café. Curious. How in the world had he ended up here? It was that same small room. A small library of books adorned the back wall away from the doors and the wooden floor was mopped to sparkling. A futon caressed his back as he lay there staring up at the wooden ceiling and sliding doors. A bulb, hanging in the middle of the room, provided ample attacking of his eyes as he tried to blink himself away.

Shaking his head, he tried to rise, but a hand held him down.

"P-please, you need to rest." Came that voice. That same voice of anger, now docile. Ranma's voice.

Futaba followed the hand as tingles of fright spread through his spine. Goose bumps sprouted across his body as his eyes connected with the red-heads own blue orbs. He couldn't hold back the gulp that subconsciously filtered through him.

Ranma flinched as if hit, and backed away in an instant. In the same motion, she brought her head down to the ground in a bow as low as possible. She'd been crouched on her knees sitting over him as he lay on a futon. "G-Gomen Nasai."

"R-Ranma…"

"Gomen Nasai!" The girl repeated, angrily, not willing to raise her head in what appeared to be shame. "I… wh-what I did was… wr-wrong!"

Futaba rose a little, grunting with the effort but manage to come to hover over the red-head. His shoulder was bandaged, and damn well done at that, and his left arm hung in a makeshift splint. Had he been hurt that badly?

"How did I get here…?" He asked, trying to get his bearings.

"Gomen… gomen… I… I saw that you… I brought you." The girl was hysteric. She tried to kill him for no reason that he could come up with and now she was crying! Kneeling like some _servant, _and crying! "I've never done that before… never been so angry… I'm sorry…" She spoke into the wooden floor, prostrate before him.

Collecting his thoughts Futaba tried to think of how he could solve this. Why? Why had she tried to kill him? Why had she been so angry… He needed to know. "Wh-why did you try to kill me? What did I do to make you so mad?"

The girl, head still bowed, flinched as if hit again. "I think…" She flinched as if forcing herself to realize something and then started again. "I _thought_ you used a… a love potion on me."

Futaba blanched and then winced as he fell back on his shoulder. "Ah, damn!" He moaned. The girl was over him in an instant, delicately touching his shoulder. Futaba glared at the girl even as her motions soothed his aches. "Th-that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! There's no such thing as love potions in the first place! And second, why the hell would I deserve to _die_ for using one!?"

"Y-You wouldn't! I'm sorry, I-I just… There are… I felt like you betrayed everything… I..." The girl backed away from him. Was she trying to justify her actions? She backed away further still. She turned her eyes down shamefaced and set her hands in her lap, still crouched on her knees. "I… Will you forgive me? _Please…_" She whispered in utter desperation. "I'll… do anything." The girl brought her face down.

Looking at the red-head Futaba felt… sympathy, compassion, and an undying want to comfort this girl who had been on his mind the same way Misaki once had. But… "H-how can I forgive someone who tried to _kill _me? For something so stupid!?"

The girl's eyes became teary but she nodded. "I-I understand… Then… I'll do whatever I can for you until you can forgive me…" She said guiltily. "I'm… so sorry…"

The red-head vanished, to Futaba's shock as the door hinge began to creek at the sound of an opening door.

_**--  
--**_

Ranma stared at her hands in utter mortification. Never had she been so angry before. Never had she been so close to losing the control of her multitudes of power. All because of her. Him…

_God… I actually tried to kill him… For no reason at all! _She thought in abject horror. What in the world had brought her so close to becoming a murderer?

Parts of her mind still screamed that she had been right. Kill him. _Maim _the jackass who had made her feel so… loved. Protected. Because it was a lie! For that one hour in the café three weeks ago, she poured out her soul. After that she had fled the town, feeling loads better then she could ever remember.

Then, the thoughts began to creep up in her mind. Thoughts of herself male, holding the blonde girl in his arms, comforting her in the same way she had comforted him. Worse, they began to influence her girl side. When she was a girl the image shifted as quickly as her form. Being held by the mop-topped black-haired boy, muscular arms wrapped around her small frame, protecting her always as he had for that one hour of desperation and weakness.

It'd had to be a trick! She'd been so sure. So certain that he had done something to her mind that she'd gone into a rage, building over the three weeks she had wandered. It became an obsession. Thoughts of cuddling in his arms, turned black when she realized what she was thinking, becoming thoughts of anger and hatred for the boy who _must _have magicked her mind. _Must _have!

"I-I'm such a fool!" She yelled slamming a fist into the maleable concrete below her. Looking up to the sky, she saw the sun far on the horizon now and just beginning to set. No blame in her eyes this time. This one was all her fault. All _her _fault.

"She'll forgive me…"

The sky did not react. As placid when receiving pleas as it was when receiving threats, it remained still, calm and beautiful.

Even as she tried to tell herself that it was her honor, her need to be forgiven due to an honor debt, she knew that it was something else that she wanted. How much longer could she deny it? She couldn't. The girl… boy… had shown Ranma something she had never known and she wanted nothing but more of that feeling. Shown her something… genuine…

And now she had destroyed everything.

"P-please. Tell me she'll forgive me..." Ranma whispered to the setting sun.

The sky, as always, did not answer her.

Turning from the red light blasting across the land from the sun, she sat, head in hands, leaning against the stone railing of the tall building, and wept.

In the distance, a dove flew across the sun, glinting in a shimmering ray of answer and hope, that Ranma did not see…

----

_Author's Notes_

Chapter Two done. More depressing in this chapter but I'd like to think that it's plausible. If you'd felt the effects of more then ten different love potions and then felt yourself feeling true and genuine affection would you be able to tell? I don't think I could.

As always! **Leave a review! **Because they make me smile!

**Notice Number One(Read this! It's important!): **First off, I hope it's in there but it might be a little too subtle so I'm just gonna tell everyone up front. If it isn't obvious, Ranma is lying to Ryoga and telling him a made up story. The flashbacks on the other hand are the real story.

Notice Number Two: JSB: Hey I sent you e-mail after e-mail but the address you gave me wasn't right or something. I sent via hotmail and yahoo and both told me 'reject error.' I'll send you the next chap when it's but I'm impacient ya know? I'm young. Gimme a break! Plus I really wanted to get this chap out before I go to work tonight. So I hope you like it and sorry about that. JSBi (at) hotmail (dot) com did not work. Are you sure that's correct? Plus it's hidden on vex's forum page.

Well everyone, till next! Ja!


	4. Forgiven

Hallo! Not much to say today except for "Enjoy and Review!"

One thing though. Fixed excessive pronoun (and a couple of annoying spelling) errors in chapter two. Special thanks to Tai Khan for catching them as I didn't notice a lot of them. And there were a few more than there should have been. For that I'm very sorry.

On another note. I started with the scene change past/present story style, and that's how I'm gonna stay. Don't like it? Meh. I don't care. This fic is the spoof for all my fluffiness anyways so I can keep my uber fics distant, dramatic, and epic. Special thanks to Stratagemini for… well… hard to explain. Just notice the thanks.

Oh One more thing. Anarchists is being heavily written on as we speak. Me and ozz have developed the storyline quite well in my opinion. Still workin' a few kinks out, but with his comedy, my drama, and one helluva plot, that story is gonna be one fun ride!

Guess I did have a bit to say. On with the story!

_**--  
Chapter Three: Forgiven  
--**_

**I**t was chilly and windy but not so chilly yet that students were unable to conduct gym class outdoors. Most of them felt pretty good actually, even considering the tight uniforms the girls wore but Futaba had always been a smaller girl, when in girl form. She shivered while most of the girls didn't seem to mind the cold wind.

At the moment, all attention was on her and the person standing in front of her.

"Futaba…" Said the man slowly. Futaba had been a girl when he had appeared in the middle of gym class and now students who had been on the track field with her, now stood watching the black-haired man. Handsome beyond handsome, he held even Futaba captive in his illustrious blue-eyed gaze. Her more than any as it was her he was focused on. More than focused on. In this form, immense attraction couldn't help but enveloped her when looking at a guy like the one before her.

"Y-yes? H-have we met?" Futaba asked demurely.

He advanced slowly, though in a gentle pace so as not to startle anyone. Her friends nearby her almost huddled at the man's approach, nigh on swooning.

"It's me… Ranma." Ranma said languidly.

"R-Ranma? That's _you!? _I-uh… er… well! You look… good!" Futaba said, nervously, backing away slowly. Fear clutched at her like a snakes fangs.

The pigtailed man's face broke into a half hearted grin. "Y-you too." He repled.

Wind blustered across the field sweeping his pigtail and her mat of hair towards the east enhancing the dramatic tension and silence that had erupted within the entire gym class.

'Thank god Misaki isn't in this class!' Futaba thought with barely containable relief. She was a jealous girl, and if she found that Futaba even _knew_ a man who looked like…_Ranma_, she would instantly think that… well...

"H-how are you doing, Futaba-chan? Are you… Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

Finally getting over the goggle-eyed effect her feminine hormones gave her, she reconciled this man in her mind along side the image of the goddess of a red-headed girl. Not fond of women quite as much in this form, she reasserted her firm foundation of anger and mistrust of this person. And fear was always there. She tried to shove it down too. If he were going to kill her he could have easily done so already.

She turned away from him slightly and gave a hmph of disapproval at him. "I'm just fine." She said, causing her friends to almost gape at her.

"I… I'm sorry again." He said, clumsily. "B-but ya know, if you'd hear me out, you would understand a little better."

Arms folded under her breasts, she quirked an eyebrow at the man. "Would I now?" She asked. This man had tried to kill her and nigh on come close to succeeding! Why in the world would she want to be anywhere near him!?

A small shiver crept up Futaba's spine as she looked at him of both fear and hormonal lust but she forced both down. She would not be afraid, and she would _definitely_ not be attracted to… him.

"Y-yes. Look, I said I'm sorry. What more can I do?" Ranma said with a small hint of worry. 'Damn!' he thought as he looked at the girl. 'I can do that feminine eyebrow-quirk thing too when I'm a girl! Why does it still affect me?'

The girls, now almost surrounding them in a semi-circle behind Futaba. She seemed angry at this man. She had free reign to be angry at men of course. With her job he was probably just some fan who got a little too carried away but even so whispers began erupting behind them.

"Who is he?"  
"What's his number?"  
"His pigtail is weird!"  
"Ranma? I don't think I've ever met anyone called Ranma before.""What's Futaba's problem with him?"  
"Dunno. If she's leaves him he's mine!"  
"Did he just come from China or something?"  
"He's got a cute butt."

Ranma faltered a little at the last one but he held his calm demeanor as he confronted the blonde haired girl.

"Hey! What's going on out here!?" Came a stern voice suddenly. All eyes whipped to a black haired, slender woman, wearing a teachers uniform and approaching with a steady pace. "Futaba? Who's… whoa… who's this?" Said the girl as her eyes glassed over just a bit.

She shook her head suddenly and was instantly out of her dazed stupor. She marched directly up to Ranma. "Hey! Why aren't you in uniform? Er… who are you? Have we met?"

"Uh… Shimeru-sensei he's—" Futaba began to say.

The woman blinked and turned to Futaba with a look of momentary confusion swift enough to make the blonde stop speaking. Then the black haired woman's lips curled into a smile. "Ah… I see Futaba. So this is what happened with Misaki…"

Futaba blinked, shocked and held up her hands defensively. "No No, Futana! I didn't even meet him until after! He didn't have anything to do with—!"

"I'm Ranma." He said, interrupted turning all eyes back to him. "S-sorry about this, Futaba. I'll… I'll head out. I don't want to cause any trouble…"

He backed away towards the fence slowly looking as if jumping would be a good idea. It seemed he'd done nothing but get Futaba in trouble trying to talk to her here. But where else could they talk? One last glance at the woman- Futana? Futana Shimeru? Odd… -and Ranma gave an enormous leap bounding well over the fence and out of sight.

Everyone gave a shocked blink at the rampant display of skill but they _had_ seen better at the great club war over Futaba not so long ago.

--  
--

Ranma had realized now what he wanted. What he _or_ she wanted. He'd been in denial about it for almost three weeks now and only now… only _after_ did he realize how little chance he had. But he had to try. He'd been betrayed, by the only one he'd thought he could ever actually love. He'd been dwindling in despair and depression and self-hatred and loathing when Futaba had found him that night, crying in the rain.

Simple words. Caring words. An ear to listen to him speak when no one else could. A heart in pain as much as his own. Different pain, but still heartache and grief. Not to mention a similar problem. It should have been like a dream come true. It _WAS_ a dream come true. A dream he had yearned for and wanted with every fiber of his heart. A dream he had perverted in his mind and ruined because it had been 'too good to be true.'

Even if Futaba _had_ used some magic trick. Some red-thread. Some koi-rod… Ranma didn't think he even cared. He couldn't possibly try to hurt her… or him again. Not and risk those eyes.

And now her only chance at… at… her only chance to even be Futaba's friend was that the girl could forgive her. The terror on the blonde's face when she had attacked sprung up in Ranma's memory, and she shivered.

Were she in Futaba's shoes that day she knew she wouldn't forgive.

But oh, how she hoped.

Now she sat, watching the blonde, stalking him she realized with grim self-loathing, as a raven haired girl similar to Akane, approached him, tears welling in her eyes.

--  
--

The day had become dreary. It wasn't raining anymore, but a half hour before the sky had been pouring.

'Ranma…' Futaba thought, as she walked home slowly. What was with him anyways? Why in the world would he _do_ that? Embarrassing her, making her look like an idiot in front of Futana and… and…

"ARGH! He makes me so mad!" She screamed, loud enough to have caused quite a few stares if anyone had been nearby. Self denial. She knew she was attracted to Ranma. Very attracted. Both male and female versions.

Her face began to heat up but she quelled it quickly. She was already excited enough.

His face appeared in her mind again, melding with the face of the beautiful girl that was also Ranma. The girl he'd tried to comfort that day.

'She was so beautiful…' She thought haphazardly. Love potions. She'd thought she'd had her take some love inducing potion or magic or something, that had made her like him. Was that really all it took to drive her into a rage? Affectionate thoughts?

"She told me so much that night. About Akane and Ryoga… she never said anything about love potions…" Futaba murmured to herself.

"So, that's the way it is…" Came a soft voice, barely audible above the sounds of everyday life echoing everywhere.

"Misaki-chan. Wh-what… what are—?" Futaba stuttered. Misaki had been standing there leaning against a building and Futaba, so lost in her confusing thoughts, hadn't even noticed the girl she had once loved.

"There was someone else… that boy… who is he Futaba!? Is… was it him? Did you leave me because of—!"

"NO!" Futaba shouted angrily, and then more calmly, "No… I hadn't even met her… him… until after—!"

"Liar!" She yelled. "He's… he's handsome, rugged, wild… the best looking guy I've ever… ever seen! Of course you would… would! I-I hate you, Futaba Shimeru!"

She dashed off, tears streaming down her eyes.

"W-wait, Misaki! Misak—!"

Suddenly the girl stopped, poleaxed.

"Wh-what?" She exclaimed, surprised as a figure faded into being.

"R-Ranma!" Futaba exclaimed, as she ran to catch up with Misaki. She stiffened in involuntary fear as she looked at the girl's downcast eyes and red hair, memories of that same girl encased in writhing red aura dancing through he head. The girl now held Misaki in a firm hug, meant to keep her from moving.

Ranma looked up, her eyes meeting Futaba's as she held the shocked Misaki. "I'm… sorry." She said lamely. "You've got it all wrong! Futaba's not like that! She's… she's… she 's better than that!" The girl screamed at Misaki. Blue orbs meeting hazel brown.

"Wh-who're… who the heck are you?" Misaki exclaimed, pushing heatedly away from the red-headed girl, her shirt drenched with wetness from the red-head's clothes. She backed up towards Futaba, also involuntarily.

"I'm sorry. I'm… I'm the boy from before. The one that girl gave you pictures of." Ranma said, dispassionately. "I met Futaba the night you and he broke up. He… He comforted me. And… he was sad too. We talked for hours about… about you… about my fiancée. I… I couldn't get him out of my head! Him… her… It didn't… it didn't matter."

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Misaki asked. "You're a girl! How could you be a… a… It can't be… you're a… a Shimeru?" Misaki asked.

It was Futaba who answered in the negative. "She isn't like me… she doesn't change the same way I do but… she's him." The words had a bit of fire in them. Angry fire. Misaki looked uncomprehendingly from the glare on her ex-boyfriend's face, to the sad, accepting… humble look on the beautiful red-head.

It was only then that she noticed how beautiful the girl was. It had begun to rain at some point during the day earlier though it had stopped now. It was obvious the girl had stood in that rain, soaking. Even with her hair in an unruly mop, strange pigtail puffed and soaked out the back of her head, she was awe-inspiring. As beautiful as Futaba, or more.

"Please Futaba… I just want… I'm… sorry." The girl murmured piteously as she slid to her knees looking at Futaba in hopeful desperation.

Abruptly a pang of incredible sympathy welled up in Misaki. This girl, was asking- begging –for her Futab— for _Futaba's_ forgiveness and she wasn't giving it? That wasn't the Futaba she knew. What could this girl have possibly done so that—

"You tried to _kill _me! Do you just do that to any person who turns you on 'cause they must've slipped you a love potion? You… You terrified me… I thought we were friends and then you…" Said the blonde girl. Anger faded a little with that visible shiver. As a girl she was always a bit more emotional. Obviously the same was true for Ranma.

She tried to KILL him!? She… she _what_!? "What… you actually… tried to… to…" Misaki stuttered trying to get her mind around that. Tried to kill him. Actually Kill Futaba. Got, what did…

"What did Futaba do? I know Futaba… I… _loved_ him for…" she paused, hoping he caught the past tense especially strongly, then continued. "I know Futaba. What could he have possibly done to make you try to… to…" She couldn't put words to it. It was unfathomable.

The girl looked away. "Y-you don't understand. He wouldn't leave! Every time I tried to think about what to do he'd keep popping up in my head! Every time I thought about anything she'd be there! I… I couldn't stop thinking about her… only one other person made me feel that way and she… she…"

Misaki thought she saw the ghost of a tear trail down the other side of the girl's face, and she didn't miss the dual pronouns used to describe Futaba. 'She likes him in both forms…' she realized with surprise.

"She made me feel so... happy. Like with Akane before… before…" Ranma went on holding back tears.

Futaba's glare diminished. How could anyone stay angry at someone with so much grief running through them? And Futaba was no unforgiving soul. Her heart reached out to the crying girl once more as it had all those nights ago.

"Tell us." Misaki said suddenly. "Come on Futaba. Remember when I first found out about your change? I felt so betrayed and angry until I put myself in your shoes that I didn't think. Let's hear what she has to say. She might have… a really good reason to have… done that." For all Misaki knew it might be true… But what could?

The raven haired girl strode to the red-head's side and offered a hand and a smile. Futaba stiffened slightly, as if to move between her, and then she sighed and relented.

"Come on. We can go to my place. It's not far… I just… why? Why in the world would you want to kill me for… liking me?"

'Thank you…' Ranma thought, blessing Futaba's ex-girlfriend with nigh on worship.

They stood, Misaki helping Ranma to her feet. This would be… awkward at best. Thinking of all the time she and Futaba had spent together in that room. But Misaki smiled as best she could.

"Well, come on. Lets hear the whole story!" Futaba said heatedly. She tried to stay angry as evidenced by the tone, but there was a small happy glint in her eye. Not to mention a light flush in her cheeks to Misaki's great chagrin. But… Glancing at Ranma she decided that maybe it would be worth it. She and Futaba were over. She understood that now. So… if she couldn't have him… at least she could make sure the person who did was… good enough.

If only she could make her aching heart forget him…

"W-well… I guess… from the beginning… I-it all started back in China. Me and my old man were…"

--  
--

"And she hit me over the head with a table! A _stone_ table! Can you believe...!?"

--  
--

"—Black Rose. Kuno's sister. Turns out she was as psychotic as her brother. She still doesn't know that me and my boy side are one in the same!"

--  
--

"—oga. Damn pig… He's been using that damn promise against me ever since. He sleeps in Akane's bed! In his pig form! And I _can't_ tell her! I can't! Well… I couldn't… I guess she already knew though… I'm not mad at him… he wanted her from the beginning so when he got the chance. But she… she'd…"

--  
--

"Tried ta kill me! How the heck could I possible marry a girl who'd been doing nothing but trying to kill me for the past three months! I mean sure she was cute but…"

--  
--

"—y best friend. If there was anyone I could have talked to that night when I found out about Akane and Ryoga it would have been her. If not for the whole fiancée thing… I would'a gone to her. But I couldn't She'd have just used it to make me marry her. Do you know how.. bad that feels?"

--  
--

"—ed Thread of Dread. I apparently didn't even know what was going on the whole time but while the string was tied, I apparently wanted to marry Shampoo! Unconditionally! But… Akane… she saved me from it… in the end she… cut it…"

--  
--

"Three pills. They make you fall in love with the first person you see. They… weren't permanent but trust me… they… work…"

--  
--

"I still shiver every time I think about that damn Koi Rod… I remember how I felt here. It made me sick! So when you… made me feel… the same way… I…"

--  
--

"I brought her back to human form with the water, pulled it into the sky to make it come faster, but she still wouldn't wake up. I tried everything. Slapped her. Hugged her. Nothing… nothing… So I started talking…"

They were sitting in Futaba's room and had been mostly undisturbed for the entirety of Ranma's story. Ranma had plowed through at least three water bottles in the telling and was still going. Frankly on the whole it was the story of a life time! Ranma's convoluted relationships and enemies. Futaba couldn't help but feel sorry for her. More than sorry. She expanded on the story she had told that night of merely Ryoga and Akane, expanded and grown a preposterous tale told through eyes that believed every word spoken.

Misaki and Futaba had been entranced. Ever since the mention of the pills Futaba thought she had forgiven Ranma. A pill to make you fall in love with the next person you see? It sent a shiver down her spine. What would Negiri or worse, Futana do with something like that?

"I talked about, alotta things. I don't remember much of what I said either, but at some point, I found that the idea of her dying… made my heart hurt. Made me feel cold… alone like nothing else ever had. It was that same feeling that all the love potions and stuff made me feel. Exactly the same but… this time it was genuine." Ranma said. "I… I loved her… and so I… shouted it. It brought her back. I… I don't know how but she came back to me."

Tears had been absent from the poor girls face for quite some time. Now they returned in earnest, the red-head's mind solely on her ex-love.

"And then she… she…"

Misaki swept the girl in an encompassing hug, and she cried, shedding what few tears remained unshed after all this time.

Futaba just watched, but a need had risen in her. She wanted to be the one this girl cried for. The one this girl talked to. The one this girl lov—!

What in the hell was she thinking!? No. They weren't _nearly_ ready for that yet. But… she could forgive Ranma. Sh—_he_ did have a good reason to try to kill her. The utter sadness that thought caused coursed throughout her being and weighed down upon her heavily.

She was lucky. Her problems were miniscule compared to this red-haired enigma's.

"And then…" The girl began again, lifting her face and wiping her eyes she looked up at Futaba, who only now realized her own eyes were wet from the rampant emotions thrown from the red-head. "You… made me feel that same way. My heart… hurt… thinking about you and…"

It was as Futaba had already guessed. As she'd said before but Futaba couldn't understand then without her story. Futaba smiled. Hopping off her bed, she went to the red head and knelt behind her, Misaki between them, Ranma looking over the sweets-loving girl's shoulder with a forlorn look in her eyes as she stared up at Futaba.

"I can forgive you for that Ranma. I… I'm sorry… about all this. But… next time… don't try to kill me okay? That… Well… you're really scary… when you're mad…" Futaba stuttered, her face going red as she poked her index fingers together.

Ranma's faced brimmed into a small, hopeful smile. "R-really?"

Futaba's own smile widened a bit and she nodded.

Misaki too, smiled. She keenly felt the sting of knowing that Futaba wouldn't ever be hers again. But she could live with this. Being her friend. _Their_ friend, as that was obviously how it would turn out. Perhaps, hers was just around the corner? Who knew? But at least she didn't have a life like Ranma's…

To not even be able to recognize whether what your heart was telling you was truth or lies?

Tears trailed down her cheeks too.

----

So did ya like it? I hope so! See you next time!

Review if you'd like to.


	5. When I'm a Girl, I'm a Girl

Quick Chap. Meh. I'm in a very writing mood. Dunno why. Good for you guys though eh!?

_**--  
Chapter Four: When I'm a Girl, I'm a Girl  
--**_

**R**yoga and Futaba were walking back to the Shimeru house. Ranma had stayed behind to get something or another after Futaba had finished her photo-shoot and now he and her were alone.

Exactly what Ryoga wanted.

"So, Futaba-chan. I was wondering… how did you and Ranma _really_ meet?" Ryoga said, calmly to throw in casual questioning with definite knowledge of their attempt to fool him.

Her astonished jolt, lasting less that a heartbeat, was all Ryoga needed to confirm it.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" She stuttered, trying vainly to keep up appearances.

He smirked. "Ranma doesn't meet people like that. Just randomly seeing weird stuff happening around _other _people. No, weird stuff hits him first hand. He meets his best friends and worst enemies in fighting. There's no _way_ that could've been all that happened for you two to meet. So what was it? Did you attack him because his father stole your dowry? Or did he shove his foot in his mouth and call you flat-chested?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Why are you trying so hard to find fault in him being happy?"

"Cause, it's a load of bull shit!" Ryoga retorted. "He was _hurting_! I know it! I… I know he loved Akane more than anything. Even though he was my rival, when… when me and her… I felt like I was betraying him. Seeing him so happy… moved on? I just don't believe it could have happened so easily. So how did you and he _really_ meet?" He asked a second time.

Her eyes, already narrowed, became snake-like in their venomous appearance, due to the mention of Akane and Ryoga's betrayal. At some point, with Ranma acting so carefree she had forgotten all that. Now her anger came back in full. "That is none of your business. _HE _may have forgiven you for that mess but _I _haven't!" She exclaimed. Then she turned around, basking in feminine power mode and began to walk away, heels clicking on the stone pavement.

"Hey! Wait!" Ryoga exclaimed reaching for her arm. She pulled away and turned back to look at him in anger, when suddenly he tripped.

Plowing face first into the blonde girl's breasts they fell to the ground in a toppled heap.

Ryoga spent a moment or two trying to lift himself when he suddenly felt the aura of the devil himself rise behind him.

"Ryoga…" Said a sickly voice Ryoga was quite certain did not belong on Ranma's lips.

Ryoga sat up in an instant, still crouching over Ranma's girlfriend, who just so happened to be glaring at him.

"R-Ranma! This isn't what it looks like! I.. We.." He looked desperately back at Futaba, beneath and behind him, who's glare had not receded an inch.

"What… the hell… are you doing…" Ranma said, in that same sickly quiet voice as he dropped the bags he'd been carrying.

Ryoga gulped.

_**--  
--**_

Everyone blinked. Futana, Misaki, Ranma, and Futaba. All of whom surprised at the opening door letting Futana in.

"I… Uh… I'll come back later… eheh!" Futana said, having the grace to be embarrassed. Obviously something _big_ was going on based only on the tension in the room.

Fortunately, that was a misplaced assumption.

When Futana closed the door and they listened to the footsteps walk quickly away into Futana's own room, Misaki was the first to let out a giggle. Instantly the three erupted full blown laughter.

"Did you see her face!? I never see your sister like that Futaba!" Misaki exclaimed.

Ranma, not quite so happy as to full out laugh, chuckled with the effort to hold in.

Hours they'd been sitting here, telling stories of the past, rehashing Futaba's modeling events. Laughing, or in Ranma's case doing his best to let the tension and anger leave. In light of all the misery and downheartedness, it seemed that Misaki and Futaba weren't so angry at each other after all. The glances they'd shared together were no longer full of anger. Not in light of so much pain. How could their trials possibly hold a candle when held next to Ranma's?

It was as if Ranma's story had melted away the bitter core their breakup had left, leaving only the close friendship they had once held, a long, long time ago.

But Misaki couldn't help but catch the glances shared between Ranma and Futaba. There was something there. Something building.

And Misaki knew she would be in the way.

Grinning, she yawned and looked up that clock. A faked gasp and she made her excuse. It wasn't even a lie really either. Eight o'clock was a little late.

"I need to get going. Supper and homework tonight won't do themselves. Futaba… Sorry about everything. I'm glad… we can at least be friends. Okay?" Misaki asked, giving a pointed look at the blonde girl.

Futaba let another smile cross her face, and nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Misaki nodded happily. "Bye you two!" She said, and slipped out of the room.

Even as she walked the well worn path towards the house's exit she couldn't stop the stray tear from falling. God how she wished…

One more glance at the door, she fled the house.

Awkward silence was left in the wake of Misaki's exit. Both were uncomfortable and both unsure.

After a bit both decided they had to break the silence.

"Ranma I—"

"Futaba—"

Both looked a moment. Then laughed at the sufficiently broken tension.

"So… Well… I… I probably need to go too… actually." Ranma said after a bit, one just looking at the other, unknowingly ruining the chance for long conversation Misaki had purposely given them.

"W-wait… why? I mean, uh… do you have a place to stay?" Futaba asked nervously.

Ranma gave him a smirk. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'll… I'll see you tomorrow though… if it's okay?" She asked.

He nodded, eyes roaming her body before fixating on her eyes. "Y-yeah. When? Er… Well… I… you…"

"After you get out of school? If you… if you aren't too busy… we could go… uhm…" Ranma wracked her brains desperately trying to think of something that one would do with someone they liked. The only word that came to mind right off was 'date' reminding him with annoyance of a purple-haired bimbo. So he grasped at the next best thing.

"Train!?" She said hopefully.

Futaba _almost_ blanched. Those huge, hopeful eyes though; how could he possibly say no to that? Hours of conversation had evaporated all misgivings, fears, and doubts and left only the fact that Ranma was incredibly attractive in either form, as her own body had demonstrated, quite against her will, several times.

"S-sure.. After school. I'll… I'll see you then?" He asked.

Ranma's cheeks gave the faint impression of blushing- she refused to acknowledge that they actually HAD -and she nodded. Both of them were girls and yet…

She shook her head vigorously and turned to the door, standing. "I.. I'll see you tomorrow, Futaba-chan."

She opened the door and moved to close it, only to have it held open by the blonde. "I-I'll… walk you home if you like?" Futaba said, as they began walking towards the door.

This time her cheeks really did flush red. "N-no. That's okay."

They reached the house entrance, it being not far from Futaba's room, and stopped.

"Well… I guess…. Goodnight!" Ranma said, in an extremely fake cheeriness.

"Y-yeah!" Futaba replied, equally unbalanced.

Ranma opened the door and put one foot out, then stopped.

"Ranma?" Futaba asked.

Suddenly Ranma turned towards the blonde and they're eyes met one captivating the other.

Ranma's heart beat thirty thousand times its normal rate. Should she? Should she not? God, things were never so confusing with Akane! She could just insult, get malleted, rinse, repeat! This was— Infuriating!

Gathering her courage, she decided.

She moved slowly, hoping against hope that Futaba wasn't still mad about anything. She leaned her lips to Futaba's cheek and placed a faint kiss there. "Th-thank you… for forgiving me. Futaba-kun… and for… for everything." She whispered, not really noticing as her arms wrapped around the blonde's shoulders unconsciously.

A few moments, sweet bliss, each held in the other's arms.

With that the red-head fled, leaving a shocked Futaba standing there staring at the bouncing pigtail on the retreating girl's head, pack flapping wildly. She lifted her hand to her face and impure giddiness erupted throughout her mind.

…

And was promptly quashed by a cry of 'CONGRATULATIONS!' from his annoying father, sister, and mother all at the same time.

_**--  
--**_

Ranma dashed away, not wanting to see what reaction she got. Better that way. Safer.

Her heart beat faster than her chestnut fist. Good god was this how normal relationships were all the time? Almost normal? She didn't think she'd be able to take it!

But…

His face drifted across her heavily overloaded mind and she felt the ghost touch of her lips on the girl's cheek. It was _his_ face in her mind, though. At first she tried to replace it with the image of the beautiful blonde, and make herself male. That would be right. Proper. How things were supposed to be.

The raven-haired boy didn't go away though.

And she smiled…

Maybe… with any luck maybe… it didn't matter.

Setting up her tent in the local park, she laid out her futon and drifted cozily to sleep, not noticing or caring that the dreams of kissing the blonde girl, and the black haired boy, had melded into one.

The dreams weren't limited to cheeks either.

_**--  
--**_

The morning had come faster than Futaba expected. She'd gone to sleep quite quickly after Ranma had left preferring to confer with her dreams and thoughts than the annoying interference of her family.

They made her happy too, though. All of them had been worried about him. He'd moped quite despondently ever since leaving Misaki and here he was, finally getting over her.

With a girl of equal or more beauty no less!

Blinking at his alarm clock, he shut off the contraption and began to dress himself, optimism clearly written all over his features.

He had to avoid thinking of Ranma. That led to gender changes.

**_--_**  
**_--_**

Ranma woke with the sunrise as she usually did when pitching a tent. Much easier to wake up when the greenhouse effect causes your tent to heat up to levels comparable only with the surface of the sun itself.

Dressing, she pulled the tent down and rolled the futon replacing both neatly in her pack and leaning it against a tree.

Then, eyes closed, she took the stance for a new kata and began to dance. The art always soothed her and after the dreams last night, she needed soothing more than anything.

And a rag and soap. For her futon.

Even as she concentrated on the art, even though no one else was around, she couldn't help but be downright mortified at that little wake-up experience. 'Never going to bed as a girl again.' She decided firmly.

**_--_**  
_**--**_

The end of the school day came tediously slowly. Throughout the entirety of the day Futaba-kun watched his teachers in abject boredom, and the clock in anticipation waiting endlessly for the end of the day. But it did come.

Finally, after hours of sighing and misery, the last gong echoed allowing students their much coveted three o'clock freedom.

And the effort revealed nothing. Futaba walked out of the building, listening to Motamura and Chima discussing something about Futaba-chan. It didn't matter to him. His eyes scanned the scenery at the exit of the school and found no sign of the red-headed enigma that had asked to meet him the previous day.

"What are you looking for, Futaba-san?" Takeru asked, also ignoring the heated argument that was beginning to develop between the Motamura and Chima.

Futaba hadn't realized he'd been haphazardly glancing from left to right observing every cranny that a small red-head could hide in.

Or perhaps a black haired man. Who knew which Ranma would be?

That question answered itself.

"Ah shit! I'm late! I asked 'im and I'm late! Dammit!" Came the cry of a red blur blasting along on top of the fence.

On _top_ of the fence.

The creature ran right by them, not noticing a thing until suddenly it stopped, frozen, one foot in midair, one on the fence, formulating the image of a young girl with a red pig-tail, curiously suspended in midair.

"Hehe… I just passed you… didn't I?" The girl said, nervously, loud enough for Futaba, the team, and several other bystanders to witness. A sweat drop passed down her head.

"Ranma! I'm here!" Futaba exclaimed, joyously. At last she'd arrived. Late, but that amused him more than annoyed him. Her litany of curses on the way by had been more than funny enough to override any ill will.

The wrestling team gaped at the raven haired boy. "F-Futaba…"

"Futaba!" The girl exclaimed, and then proceeded to leap from where she was on the fence, over their heads and directly in front of the startled boy whose name was called.

"Futaba I.. Uh… er… well… G-gomen?" She asked; it was more of a question than a statement.

The rest team resumed and remained gaping. Futaba had _another_ cute girlfriend, not a month after leaving Misaki; said girlfriend was capable of feats of physical strength such as twenty meter jumps.

"Heh. I was worried you'd forgotten." Futaba chuckled. "So, where are we goin'?" The boy asked calmly. "Training right?"

Ranma hesitated. Did she _want _to train? That was what she had been doing all morning. She'd showered at a local bath, lost track of time and almost fell asleep in the furoh. And now he was here. _She _was here. Splashed on the way.

Of course she wanted to train. That was her life. But what if he didn't… Hmph. No, she wouldn't lose her art for anyone. If Futaba couldn't accept that her life revolved around being the best then he didn't deserve her!

"W-well. Um… if you want too." Was the reply that slipped, to Ranma's extreme annoyance, from her mouth.

'Why the hell do I like him so much!? Surely it's not just the gender thing… is it?' Thought Ranma's bedraggled mind. All she knew was that she cared more for the opinion of this raven haired boy than anyone else she had ever met.

Futaba simply gave her a hearty grin. "Okay! I assume you got a place in mind?" He asked.

Ranma nearly gawked. And then grinned in abject joy. He was extremely glad the black-haired boy had agreed. Because… if he hadn't, Ranma thought she would have done whatever he wanted.

"F-follow me?" She asked, leaving him a way out if he wanted.

He nodded and Ranma grinned. Once Futaba had forgiven her it seemed the boy had completely forgotten that she had tried to kill him.

'I'm so lucky…' she thought. And then admonished herself. 'I'm so pathetic is more like it… Who'd think I was the type to be easy on the rebound…'

She fervently hoped that thought wasn't true.

"C'mon!" She said, her voice betraying the inner conflict as she hopped back up to the fence.

Futaba gaped again. "U-up there!? I'll fall!"

Ranma's heart swelled at the cuteness, picturing those words on the blonde's Futaba's form. The despair of dream-filled nights watching that scene of her love and her rival together, seemed to evaporate around the boy. He was taking a jackhammer to Akane's place in her heart, and damn her if she could stop it.

Or wanted to.

"No you won't!" She exclaimed, heartily. "Come on. I'll make sure you don't fall."

Futaba gulped audibly and with a chuckle, moved towards the fence. At that, he turned. "Yo, Captain. I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"

Motamura and the other wrestlers, mouths still agape, nodded dumbly. Futaba sweat-dropped and then went about climbing atop the fence.

Ranma couldn't help it.

She giggled.

And she didn't care.

Not one. Damn. Bit.

_**--**_  
**_--_**

"I… I'm telling you Ranma! It was an accident! A misunderst—URK."

Oh yes. Ryoga knew he was in deep shit. Ranma, one hand at Ryoga's throat holding him an inch or two off the ground, held his eyes captivated with the raw anger and malice directed towards the lost boy.

Ranma said nothing, as Ryoga's fingers gripped dimly at the clutching hand of Ranma's who's strength appeared to have multiplied tenfold with his anger, red aura billowing about him wildly.

"You have five seconds."

"Acc… i… dent…" Ryoga squeaked, still clutching at the forceful grip on his airflow.

Suddenly, Ranma's fire burned down. He lowered the umbrella wielding boy to the ground and removed his hand from Ryoga's throat, leaving him coughing and wracking his lungs. Ranma appeared to _strain_ with the physical effort to not _kill_ Ryoga still though.

"Tripped." Ryoga gasped. "Tripped. Was—!"

"I don't understand why the heck you forgave this jerk, Ranma." Futaba said, approaching him, hand going unconsciously around his arm, head to his chest. She sighed as if wishing she didn't have to do this. With a final glare at Ryoga she said, "It _was_ an accident though."

At that Ranma's anger evaporated to all but an edgy glare at the pig-boy. Ryoga stood up and met Ranma's eyes.

"I… look Ranma I… I'm sorry I… It was an accident. You heard her! You… I…" Ryoga realized that, accident or not, this folly had made him unwelcome. Ranma was incredibly forgiving. That Ryoga knew. But not completely. Time and he would forget though. "I… I'll go. S-sorry… Ranma."

With that Ryoga turned from the two, staring at him with hawk-eyes, and began to walk into the waning sunset.

Ranma stared after him. He _knew_ it was an accident. So similar though. So close to what had happened when he had seen the boy with Akane.

He could not bear that again. It would drive him mad.

"Ryoga…"

_**--**_  
**_--_**

This place was anathema. A battlefield. A warzone. Restricted area by at least seven or eight major governments of the world.

A public bath house.

Alone she never had problems here. Like earlier today, after she'd been training all morning, and had wanted to return to male form, in hopes of meeting Futaba-chan instead of the male version. She was splashed, conveniently as it turned out Futaba had been male at the time.

Over the course of the evening, while training, Futaba had changed gender probably five times.

Each.

Ranma honestly pitied the girl. Boy. Whatever. She changed more often than he did! At least around him, Futaba did.

Futaba had been growing _quite_ annoyed. The gender defunct new friend of hers had such an unusual quality of making her both incredibly comfortable for a time, and incredibly excited at a whim, without even knowing she was doing it!

It was infuriating! And yet… invigorating. She was always on edge, always watching the next strange thing Ranma would do or say to _excite_ him, or _calm_ her. While training, the red-head had been a beast, out maneuvering Futaba in every way. She hoped that she was a lot better for it. Today had been a rather humbling day for the blonde.

It was the first time she changed genders, Misaki on her mind all over again.

Her face flushed as they approached the bath house. Who's idea had this been again? She shivered with goosebumps. These places were generally not too much of a problem for her, but for Ranma, with all the hot _and_ cold water around, who knew what could happen!?

They paid their meager entry, Ranma paying for both of them, which Futaba thanked in kind and both walked to the girl's side as both were currently not of the male gender.

As they entered, Futaba realized something unusual. Ranma closed her eyes.

Curious, she questioned. "Ranma? What are you closing your eyes for?" She asked.

Ranma's face collided with the plaster tiles. "What!? You mean you _don't_!?" Ranma exclaimed in a visible torrent of anger, eyes fully open, but observing only Futaba.

"Should I?" Futaba asked, suddenly. They'd arrived at the lockers and without compunction or hesitation Futaba began to undress.

Ranma gawked and spun. "What are you doing!?" She hissed.

"Getting ready for a bath. I don't get why you are being so weird about this Ranma." Futaba said, calmly.

"B-b-but… you're a… a… you are a boy! Y-you can't do—!"

"Not at the moment. I have periods like every other girl. You do too right? It's not like they have anything we haven't seen before." Futaba blinked suddenly. "Well… cept her." She said, pointing.

Ranma refused to look.

"Anyway, the point is, when I'm a girl, I'm a girl. That's just how it is with us, Shimeru's at least. When I first changed gender was the first day I wore panties. Learned all sorts a girly stuff that day. How to walk like a girl, act like one. Didn't really matter much. Most of it comes naturally by just _being_ a girl. There's no way I could act like a guy when I was a girl like you do. It'd just be so… unnatural!" The blonde said casually.

Casual words they were, but they hit home for Ranma.

"When I'm a girl, I'm a girl..." Ranma murmured. She opened her eyes. Feminine flesh greeted her everywhere. Ranma felt nothing for them. Some were beautiful, some ugly. Some old, some young. It meant nothing to Ranma. No one thought she was being rude or perverted.

She blinked.

Was she being perverted?

"When I'm a girl… I'm a girl…" She repeated.

Ranma knew she acted differently as a girl. She tried her best to hold on to her masculinity and her actions, words, and thoughts didn't change... if she watched them like a hawk and made sure to act like a man.

The memory of Mikado's kiss came back to her like a hammer. Running away crying was _not_ what a guy would have done.

Her actions did change. Her feelings. And she could feel that they would change more. _Much_ more, if she let down her masculine guard-line every time she became female.

Something about those words hit her. "I… could I do that…?" She asked turning towards Futaba, slowly.

Futaba blinked. "I… I don't see why not. You've got the body… right?" The girl gave a little wink with an appraising look.

Ranma flushed. Okay. Couldn't look at _Futaba_. She DID feel something there.

Ranma spun around again.

"O… Okay…"

Surprisingly, the bath was uneventful. Ranma avoided hot water and did not join Futaba in the furoh for the short time the blonde entered. No cries of pervert. No small old men raiding swimsuits. No massive battles.

The only thing there was, was a boy slowly realizing that when he was a girl… he _felt_ he was a girl.

And realizing that… he kinda liked it.

_**----**_

Dear lord you guys have no idea how hard it was for me to write this. Sooo… Haaappy… How the hell am I supposed to write happy people!? Seriously, over and over again I had to keep retelling myself 'the point is not a major battle at the end. The point is not the reaction to death of a main character. The point is not insanity of a main character. The point is not saving the world. The point is not bringing two people together by fate and binding them in order to save all life as we know it. The point is getting these two together. Relationship. Romance. Old-fashioned romance. That's all. That's all dammit! THAT'S ALL!

ARGH!

Why is this so difficult for meeee…!? Is that sad? I think that's sad!

Crys… There's probably a reason that I'm so much better at the angst-fests and dramas I create. But I hope someday to be able to keep up in the romance sector as well, though even I can tell that this is somewhat lacking.

Not quite a tear jerker but give me a few more years.


	6. Autumn Bloom

Still in that writing mood. Working on a CHOBITS crossover of all things!? Chobits! Can you believe it? Heh. A Chobits epic cross, not just a romance. Should be pretty damn good though if I work out all the god-forsaken plot kinks in it. They're fixing themselves but it's a bit difficult. Persocom love mixed with Jusenkyo effects. Ah, the irony.

And without further Ado I give you….

A Chocolate Parfait!

Oh…

You were looking for a chapter…

Well… I guess you can have that… the Parfait woulda' been really good though.

Heh heh.

_**--  
Chapter Five: Autumn Bloom  
--**_

"Ryoga!? C-come on! Y-you're scaring me! Why won't you say anything!?" Akane exclaimed, her boyfriend clearly disturbing her.

The bandana clad boy turned his gaze to her slowly. The collective stares of the various Tendo family members successfully aided in bringing him back to the land of the living.

"Please, Ryoga-kun? Why are you acting so strangely?" Kasumi asked in her ever gentle tone.

Ryoga had not said a single word since entering the Tendo home. It had only been a scant half hour since he had left that dreadful misunderstanding and he was still bent out of shape. But finally it seemed he was ready to speak and he looked up, gazing straight into Akane's eyes.

"I… I found Ranma…" He said simply.

The reaction was akin to an outburst. "Where, Ryoga-san! Wh-where did he go?" Kasumi asked in with surprising urgency.

"Ah, son. Great job! Great effort! Why, if Genma were here right now I'm sure he'd name you a man among men on the spot! I'm so glad! So… so glad!" Soun exclaimed, tears falling slightly down his eyes. "So… is he… is he coming home m'boy?"

"Found 'im eh? Bout' time. Yeah, when's he coming back, P-chan?" Nabiki asked, causing a prompt glare, which in turn brought about her patented innocence look.

"Nabiki, haven't you done that to poor Ryoga enough? If anyone has a right to be mad about _that_ it's me, and I forgave him a long time ago. Me… me and… Where… where is Ranma-san … Ryo-kun?" Akane asked, a heavy pleading on her face.

No one felt more sorry for what had happened then Akane had. She'd beat herself up for it, but what could she do? She'd… fallen for Ryoga… not Ranma. Even so…

Ryoga's world suddenly went dark and cold.

"I… I don't know!" He exclaimed in shame and self acrimony.

The entire family face-faulted.

**_--  
--_**

A hasty wind blustered across Ranma's tent, some of said wind filtering in through the covering's slim barricade, and he was thankful for his broader male form. As a girl this would be downright freezing.

It was still quite cold though.

"Burrr…." He toned aloud; it was largely over dramatized but it got the point across. "How the hell am I gonna' survive this winter?" He asked himself sadly.

Well there was only one thing for it. Job hunting and he'd have to by a bigger blanket.

Another sigh, but he knew it would be good for him. He'd been of age for some time now, long before he'd left thankfully, and had been able to survive thus far on what small scrapings he had kept from Nabiki. Now that was gone, and in hindsight he wished he hadn't paid that eight hundred yen for two bathhouse tickets.

Scratch that…

He would've paid double for that bath. Ever since, he'd felt enlightened somehow. Those words had hit him harder than _her_ mallet could. "When I'm a girl… I'm a girl…" He intoned.

He lifted himself, throwing off the light blanket which caressed him, and sat up. "Damn tent flap." He murmured, glaring at the current bane of his life. The damn tent had a rip; otherwise this wouldn't be so difficult. Sure it would still be cold but at least he wouldn't have had to deal with the biting wind as well.

A small glow of white light drifted through the rip and also permeated the outside of the tent which otherwise was bathed in pitch darkness. Again he sighed. He'd never sleep like this.

His finger reached up to touch his lips once more, remembering the kiss he'd… well… _she'd _placed on Futaba's cheek, two days before. At the thought his heart began pounding.

"Dammit!" He exclaimed as a blush crept up his face. Despite his good intentions and honorable intent, not to mention the fact that they had both been girls, Ranma had gotten a _very_ good look at the female Futaba at that bathhouse. And now he had events to make his heart race in _either_ form!

His thoughts drifted to the night before and his entire body heated up. He hoped he'd caused HALF the effect on Futaba two days ago, as the other boy had on _her_ last night at Futaba's doorstep again.

In truth he'd never felt that way before. Even in he and Akane's most intimate moments, never before had such a level of… warmth filled him. Not to mention a heavy dose of arousal and attraction too!

Realizing that he was causing potentially painful events to the area between his legs with his line of thought, he cast the boy and girl of black and blond haired alteration out of his mind, and was gratified by the return of coherent thought.

With thought returned annoyance.

'What the heck is wrong with me?' He thought almost bitterly. He well remembered his inner reaction when Futaba had told him she couldn't do anything tomorrow. How it seemed to break her. She'd thought the blonde didn't want to see her and for some reason that thought was like a spear through her gut.

It grated at Ranma's masculinity but even that was no bar to how much that thought stung. What had the blonde done? What was it that made her so important now?

'Do I really like her that much? So much that it hurts… so bad?' In the end, he could only conclude that nothing could possibly be concluded yet. That… and that he was very much looking forward to seeing the girl fight today.

The giddiness at that thought gave him energy. He dressed and left the tent, content with the amount of sleep he'd gotten, to find the moon no less than twenty five degrees off of directly above.

'About two thirty…' his mind calculated. "Well… never a better time then now, I guess."

The glow of the crescent moon above him shining down on the clear night surrounded him in plenty of light. He stood, breathing slightly, eyes closed. Then he began his kata, forming his body with the wind, flying, bathed deeper in his art than ever he could be in the moonlight.

Or…

So he thought.

**_--  
--_**

"Finally …" Futaba exclaimed drearily, yet happily in his waking daze. A smile drifted across his lips as he awoke, sleep clearing from his hazy eyes.

He moaned in waking, memories of the previous night filtering through his mind.

_"U-Uhm..." The red-head stuttered, obviously nervous._

_Futaba looked at the red-head, trying desperately to keep her gaze from becoming too… longing. 'God is she beautiful…' were the words that came to her mind, unbidden. Her red hair, still soaked with water even after the thorough towel scrubbing she'd given it, hanging, pigtail hovering right over her right breast._

_Ranma fiddled with the pigtail hanging in front of her nervously as she twitched. God! What was it about this girl that made her so damn nervous!? "Look I… er… about last night. The um… the… well… You didn't mind… did you? The k—!"_

"_It's okay!" Futaba exclaimed. Mind? Mind the kiss? Futaba nearly gawked at the red-head. _

_Even so the release of tension that blasted throughout the Ranma's physic visibly warmed Futaba. _

"_I… was worried. I… I've never really… liked anyone like… I was just… really worried." Ranma said after she'd sufficiently recovered from the relief that swept over her._

_"Don't be. I… I'm sorry too. Again I mean, about how I was to you." Futaba returned. _

"_Wh-what for!? I tried to k-kill you after all!" Ranma intoned, upbeat, trying to put a light tone on it while still being serious. _

_  
It worked._

_The apology war still continued though, both suddenly nervous again._

"_Futaba. Would you… would you mind seeing me again? To-tomorrow?" Ranma asked, still fiddling nervously with her pigtail. _

'_When the heck did I become so stuttery!?' She thought, even as butterflies multiplied in her stomach at the hope of the blonde's answer._

"_Sure! I… I… Aw dammit!" The blonde exclaimed, in near anger. "I… I'm sorry Ranma. I can't really do anything tomorrow."  
_

_Ranma's heart sank like a wooden submarine, even as she tried to console herself, and her eyes did too. Seeing the deadening expression wash over the redhead Futaba quickly put up the reason._

_"There's a wrestling match between our wrestling team and the St. Hebereke Girl's team and Futaba-chan has to be there! I'm really sorry, but… you could come watch… if you want?" Futaba asked gingerly._

_And in an instant Ranma's eyes lit once more, heart soaring. She deftly tried to admonish herself, angry about how pathetic this all was but, for some reason, she couldn't do anything about it. "Uh, I… Y-yeah! Yeah sure!" the girl exclaimed. "Where did— wait… did you say St. Hebereke?" She asked._

"Yeah? What about it?"

_The red-head shuddered. "Sorry… memories… I don't think you'll have to deal with her, though. I don't think she's on the wrestling team." _

"_Deal with who?" Futaba returned, obviously curious._

"_Kodachi. The one who fed me to her pet alligator remember? She goes there…" Ranma stopped talking and gave another visible shiver. "She's insane…" The red-head murmured, and Futaba laughed aloud. _

"_It's at the school, in the gym, okay?" the blonde asked. _

_Ranma nodded, and blushed as she took a step back. "A-alright! I'll see you tomorrow, Futaba-chan! Goodbye! Have a good, um.. good night!" _

_The red-head turned to leave and suddenly found her arm in an intense grip._

_"Eh?" She asked, turning, and suddenly found two lips caressing her cheek softly. _

_Blood began to rush through her entire body faster then it ever had before. Her mind locked up and her heart balanced in limbo as he kissed her cheek softly. _

"_Goodnight, Ranma-chan…" Came the soft whisper of a male Futaba, in her ear as his lips left her cheek. _

_Dimly she was aware that he had somehow calmed himself enough to return to male form but that was at the back of her mind next to the incredible rush of heat washing over her. Her body aroused at his touch, as an arm slid around her back in a hug of sorts, his other hand still holding her arm, to keep her from running. She fell back on the arm around her and let his lips mold to her cheek. _

_She felt like she was being washed away, her heart beating faster then her fists could._

_And abruptly it was over. Ranma stood there in shock as Futaba disengaged and backed up smiling down at her now. "Sleep well!" He exclaimed._

_Ranma did nothing except reach up to her cheek and caress it with her finger tips, barely catching her balance when his arm slipped out from behind her. "I… I will!" the girl exclaimed, her face redder then her hair. _

_The door slipped closed, the last thing Ranma saw of Futaba being his happy grin as he walked into the house._

_And instantly returned to female form sagging against the door, breathing like she'd run three marathons and a kilometer extra!_

"Dear god how did I do that!?" She recalled. Honestly she wasn't sure HOW she'd managed to control her change, but somehow she'd done it. She hoped it did the same things to Ranma that she'd done to her the night before..

As she dressed for school, the last day until the weekend, she smiled. Misaki was her friend again, and… Ranma…

She crossed her fingers. As she dressed, then abruptly laughed, recognizing Misaki's superstitious influence on her.

She opened the door and walked out, and was greeted, quite calmly, by the laughter of her elder sister.

"Likin' the boy's uniform sis!" Futana exclaimed. "Makes you look great!"

Futaba glowered.

'Dammit! I've _got _to get this under control!' She exclaimed in her mind.

In a huff, she returned to her room. There would be no appearance of the male Futaba today. Truly it was all the better since Futaba-chan would be needed at the wrestling match anyways and therefore would have to be the one to attend. But that was dreadfully far from the point!

"Dammit!" She screamed.

**_--  
--_**

"Futaba!? Is it true!?"

"Futaba-chan! Who was…"

"Miss Shimeru-san! What is going on between you and…"

Futaba's mind had come so close to exploding in righteous fury that she didn't know what to think.

'Ignore it, and it will go away. Ignore it and it will go away.' She thought to herself.

Misaki, nearby, giggled impishly at the blonde's plight, but in the end she moved to assist her ex-girl-slash-boy-friend. "Hey you guys. Come on! Can't you tell that she has to go to the bathroom so bad that she can't answer!?"

"_Lifesaver!"_ Futaba thought in mute awe, reminiscing the very first time she attended class as a girl.

In an instant the two girls were off, dashing to the restroom. They made it without incident, save for drawing the eyes of everyone to the running couple of girls.

The entered the girl's restroom without incident and slumped haggardly against the door, breathing heavily.

After a time the two girl's turned to each other, still breathing, and began a chuckle which grew to a full blown laugh.

It was some time later that they had calmed down enough for casual conversation again. "Thanks, Misaki. You're a lifesaver…" Futaba said, mimicking her earlier thought.

"Hey, don't expect it again, Taba-kun." She said, giving him the pet name she had used on him every now and then.

That brought a silence. And sadness. Memories attacked both of them as they looked at one another, gazing with eyes desperately wishing to forget.

"M-Misaki…chan…" Futaba tried to begin. She faltered though and gave way to more silence.

Futaba knew this had been coming. She hoped it would be easier but she knew it wouldn't be. Ranma was… Ranma was… something. Something Misaki wasn't. It had only been three or four weeks but she was already…

She felt like such a jerk.

"I… I understand Futaba-kun…" Misaki said.

"Misaki…" The hollow pit that had developed in Futaba's stomach deepened and the well of guilt in her throat thickened.

"I saw the way you looked at her yesterday. I… We… We weren't right for each other… It took her to make me see that, but… I never want to forget you or lose you Futaba. You're… special to me. At the very least, my best friend." She told the girl.

Futaba was at a loss… "Misaki I…" Time passed as she tried to formulate what to say but to no avail. "I… I feel like such a jerk! It's been three weeks and already I… I'm sorry… I wish I knew what to say."

Misaki smiled. "You don't have too sa—"

"But I do!" Futaba interrupted. "I just… we… I love you, Misaki. Always will. These last three weeks have been the worst I've ever had, not having you to talk to. If… If me and Ranma didn't have a chance I'd still be grateful to her for making you my friend again. I could never forget you… I'll always be there for you but… I… We didn't work… I don't know why. But… yeah. You're special to me, too. At the very least my best friend. Like you said."

"Oh, Futaba-kun…" She said. It was a pout and a small tear trailed her cheek but she wasn't angry.

And that was everything to Futaba.

The two girls embraced, tears streaming down their faces.

"I love you too, Futaba-kun…"

They never noticed Negiri's camera.

**_--  
--_**

Ranma bounded along the rooftops, flipping and somersaulting across the mobile terrain as easily he ever had. It was almost time and he _wasn't _going to be late. Not this time!

He landed about ten or twenty paces from the gym's entrance, seeing a group of four or five students entering, all chatting as they always do.

He casually walked up to the rows of double doors and entered the designated door, wondering at the battle he was about to see. Normally battles, wrestling especially, didn't interest him much unless they were his own. A battle Futaba was in on the other hand… well… he could make exceptions. And with St. Hebereke, it was bound to be interesting.

Upon entering he was greeted with a line that was annoyingly long. Almost a hundred people waited at the entrance to this gymnasium and Ranma's heart sank at the sign hanging blatantly above the second entrance to the gym itself.

Students were flashing ID's and being allowed free access. The sign however, told him that students of either school got in free. It also told him that the entry fee for non-students was six hundred yen.

Four hundred and fifty yen more than he had.

Then an idea.

He dashed out the building and made all haste back to the park where he knew a fountain resided. It would be chilly in the Autumn air but more than worth it.

He splashed himself with as little water as possible to induce the change and instantly rushed back to the gymnasium of the school. Often enough, if a girl was cute enough a boy wouldn't even bother to tell her she was doing something wrong! Ranma unbound her hair to make sure the full effect was realized and she sauntered into the building.

With grim sadness she realized she was already late. The students in front of her were anxious and the line was only half as long now. Sooner or later she _finally_ made it to the pay booth where she promptly began. "E-Excuse me," She feigned putting on her cutest pout. "I was wanting to get in here but I don't have any money… is there any chance you could just let me in?" She pleaded with the first male attendee.

The girl in the next seat raised an eyebrow, her orange hair lifting giving Ranma a distinct feeling of recognition. The girl reminded her very much of Nabiki.

"Notta' chance. Sorry." She said, completely ignoring the glazed eyes of the boy sitting next to her. "Next!"

Ranma's cutesy look cracked. "Hey! Listen here! I got to watch someone fight in there! Let me through!" She demanded angrily of the girl.

Again, the raised eyebrow.

"Sorry! It's not like it's expensive you know." The girl said plainly.

Ranma almost cried at that comment alone. "But I… I don't have any money at the moment…."

"No can do, Miss." The girl said haughtily.

**_--  
--_**

'Where is she?' Futaba thought. She scanned the audience. A rather large one as always when 'Futaba Shimeru' was involved. Press was everywhere and video cameras were all over the place. People lined the stands everywhere but neither the red-headed beauty nor the black haired man Futaba sought were anywhere to be found.

She turned and faced her opponent again.

"You take me far too lightly!" The strange, extremely muscled woman exclaimed in a booming baritone. "What fool looks away in the midst of battle!? Especially battle with I!? Arecha Rendo! The Purple Mountain of St. Hebereke, All-Girls High School Wrestling Club!?"

Futaba's eyebrow twitched.

It took seconds. In an instant she slammed past the guard of the towering muscled woman. Her left arm wrapped around the beastly girl's waist and hauled her into the air, slamming her over her back face first into the mat of the wrestling ring.

She disengaged as quickly as possible, realizing that the woman had recovered in an instant, seemingly barely even feeling the blow of face first contact.

"You're speedy and strong… but your power is but child's play! Face the Wrath of the Purple Mountain of St. Hebereke!"

**_--  
--_**

"You're speedy and strong… but your power is but child's play! Face the Wrath of the Purple Mountain of St. Hebereke!"

…

Ranma's eye twitched. Violently.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

She took her seat, annoyed that she'd actually had to sneak into the building, and late at that. She was high up in the stands and far away, but she could see Futaba below facing off against a… monstrosity of a girl. Dark-skinned, she had black wavy long hair and muscle bulging everywhere.

Ranma was honestly intimidated. In a humorous sort of way at least.

This was nothing on a phoenix god.

"Kick her ass, Futaba!!" She screamed.

_**--  
--**_

Over all the screams and shouts Futaba… felt more than heard the voice of the one she was waiting for. The battle had been a simple affair. The 'Purple Mountain' was not so strong as she though and Futaba had been able to throw the other girl out of the ring ages ago.

Drawing the fight out was better for publicity of course but really what she had been waiting for was…

"Kick her ass, Futaba!"

A grin crossed the blonde's face. She flew in, slicing through the Purple Mountain's meager guard, grappling a leg, and twisting with instant effect. The girl fell in a heap directly over her face down once more.

Then she did something unexpected.

"Thousand Kicks Avalanche!" The girl screamed in what was obviously a technique name.

Futaba, lying at the girl's feet, stood almost no chance of blocking as hundreds of rapid-fire kicks blasted through her guard and slammed into her face, body, and crossed arms.

She slid across the arena, the soft mat feeling like burning concrete against the reaction of her skin's friction.

In a heap she moaned. Where the hell had _that_ come from!?

"That is what comes from underestimating the great Arecha Rendo!" Screamed the mountain pompously as she stood.

Futaba rolled to her feet hazily and took on a grim look. That had hurt _much_ more than she had anticipated.

"Come on Futaba! You're better then that! I know it!"

The words, drifting through so many other words of encouragement and condemnation, were like energy bars to her body. Revitalized she took up a stance. Perhaps she could do it. She'd only seen Ranma do it twice the day before but she thought she understood the mechanics.

"Ready for more!?" The strange woman said, glaring at the rising blonde.

Futaba spent no time with talk. She leapt into the air and fell down hard, channeling her strength and effort into the one move.

The Mountain, surprised by the incredible jump alone, was captivated, eyes wide.

"Shooting Star Kick!" Futaba exclaimed.

**_--  
--_**

Ranma grinned. Her signature kick took out the Hebereke freak without any problems… at least not any problems that were foreseeable. She crossed her fingers hoping that the 'Purple Mountain' would not end up a lifelong rival for Futaba-chan.

"Hey! How the heck did you get in here!" Came a sudden shout.

Ranma's head jerked to find the orange-haired woman from before, glaring with potent fury.

"Ehehe! Gotta go! See ya!" Ranma replied, bouncing away over students heads and she broke like hell for the exit, her unbound hair bobbing everywhere.

"Get her!" The orange haired girl exclaimed. "She didn't pay the entry fee! She owes us money!"

A giant of a man leapt to follow the girl's order but he was far to slow for Ranma, who was dancing easily off the springboards that were the heads of various students. The red-head was gone before the monstrous man had a chance to even follow.

Futaba, looking up at the high stands, saw everything. 'She… She didn't pay the entry fee…?' The blonde thought.

"Why…?"

**_--  
--_**

Ranma made it all the way back to the temporary home in the park before she stopped running, just in case there was someone extremely good. Futaba could have kept up… maybe… though Ranma doubted the blonde could roof hop.

"She did the kick so good… she might be able to be as good as _I_ am!" Ranma thought, awed. She'd only used that technique twice yesterday and once she didn't even name it as an attack! Yet the girl had picked it up no problem! Granted she didn't employ the ki empowered leg but she couldn't manipulate ki yet. Ranma hadn't seen such potential since Ryo…

The name stopped her short.

"Akane…" She murmured. "Why Akane…? Why him? He betrayed you! And…" A stiff inner core of anger was building against Akane. Why had she done this? Why couldn't she have just told him she had nothing for him instead of… of…

'Leaving me to find out like that…' She thought bitterly.

"Ranma!" Came a sudden voice that instantly sundered her foul mood.

"Futaba! I hoped you know where to find me." Ranma exclaimed as she sat down next to her pack.

"Hey… what was going on earlier…?" The blonde asked.

Ranma smile faltered. "I… well… I had to sneak into the gym. It's no big deal though. At least I got to watch your fight, right?" She asked.

"But… why couldn't you just pay to get in?" Futaba asked. Ranma would rather sneak in then pay the little entry fee? Maybe the red-head hadn't been so honorable as Futaba had first thought.

"I… I…" Ranma tried to answer. She didn't _want_ Futaba to know she was dead broke, but it seemed she had no choice. "I'm broke… that eight hundred yen I spent yesterday left me with only a hundred and fifty. I'm really sorry I was late, but… I had to see… and I'll give her the six hundred as soon as I get it, though..."

Futaba was downright _shocked. _Glancing around she saw the tent and the fire burning where the park had left a fireplace for those who needed one, correctly assuming that this was where Ranma had been living."Wh-why didn't you tell me!? I'd never have let you buy our way in if I'd known you were living on the streets!"

"I didn't want you to know!" Ranma exclaimed. "I lived on the road for ten years… it's not all _that_ bad! I just… didn't expect to have to pay to get into the gym is all. I'd a' made some money between now and the next time I needed some…"

Futaba's heart went out to the redhead. How long had she been…? From the look of the tent, a large gash down the lower half letting the wind ripple through it, it had been quite some time since Ranma had slept anywhere better.

"Ranma…" She said futilely.

Ranma glared point blank at the blonde. "I don't want your pity, alright! I've done it for ten years of my life so the last thing I need is ya feelin' sorry for me, got it?"

Futaba's expression didn't change willingly but she forced a smile on her face. 'God, she lives like this?' Futaba thought. 'Every night?'

A sharp wind blew by causing both girl's to shudder involuntarily. Ranma, still a bit wet from splashing herself earlier, shivered a bit more visibly.

"What are you gonna do in the winter, Ranma-chan?" Futaba asked, her eyes wide and innocent, boring into Ranma's soul.

Ranma felt butterflies return. It was true that she'd lived like this for ten years but over the winters he and his father had always found a shrine or some place that would take them in for a short time in exchange for training.

She couldn't do that here. She'd already looked and there were no shrines in Komattane. But she couldn't leave… She just… couldn't.

"I'll… I'll be fine!" She exclaimed, with false bravado. "Seriously. Don't worry about it!"

A gong chimed from the park clock, signaling it was six now, and Futaba sighed.

"I've got to get home now Ran—!"

Futaba stopped abruptly as she saw something nigh on impossible. She strode passed Ranma and bent over to pick it up.

"I don't believe it…" She murmured.

"What?" Ranma asked. She loomed over Futaba's shoulder and glanced down at the small object contained within Futaba's hands but didn't get to see it.

Futaba turned to the redhead, their faces mere inches apart and grinned.

Then the blonde reached up to the redhead and placed the object in her hair, held there by her left ear.

"It looks beautiful on you, Ranma-chan!"

Ranma's heart skipped a beat as she glanced over, not having seen whatever it was when Futaba continued.

"I've never seen a Sakura bloom in Autumn before…"

Ranma reached up to stroke her ear and felt the petals of a flower residing there. Wind blew again but this time it was warm, sweeping her billowing red locks back.

Futaba was awed by the surreal beauty Ranma contained. Her masculine clothing mixed with a femininity that could not possibly be denied was only enhanced by the wind, and her unbound hair. The Sakura was nothing next to the girl. "You're… beautiful, Ranma-chan." Futaba repeated in awe.

Ranma simply blushed head to toe. "You… you think?" She asked, stroking her hair.

Inside her masculine self was exploding but Futaba's awed gaze silenced even him.

"Yeah… I don't think you should worry so much about being a man or a woman. Just be what you are. It's… amazing."

Ranma's blush lasted long after the blonde left for home. There were no goodbye kisses today but the feeling welling within Ranma's was impossible in its elated wondrousness. Even after she became male again and her hormones became masculine once more in nature, the blush didn't leave him.

"What in the world are you doing to me Futaba-kun?"

He didn't think about Akane for the rest of the night.

**_----_**

A/N: Yo all! You likee? A slightly longer chapter for you! What can I say? I'm in a very writing mood lately. Ozz, is being lazy and not finishing Anarchists. Sure sure, he says e' works for six nights straight but we all know the _real_ reason. Heh heh. He's lazy!

Speakin' o' which Ozz. Sinom Bre told me ta give ya a kick. Heh. Just for grins! Enjoy!

As to everyone else, I hope ya enjoyed this. It's getting easier though I constantly worry that this is going overboard. Mayhaps not but I guess you guys are the only ones truly able to decide that. I like it. Thank you by the way for all the great reviews I got! (Even though I don't believe a single one of you liars! There's no way I'm good at simple romance fics… Hehe.)

Pronouns are getting to be downright disgusting to use in this fic. I'd be extremely surprised if I don't get a comment telling me to stop screwing up with them. Heh. I used their hair colors to describe who was who in the one chapter more times than I think I ever have in any other fic!

Well! That's all for now! If you feel like it drop me a review! Until next!

MB


	7. Fools' Second Chance

**_--  
Chapter Six: Fools' Second Chance  
--_**

"Kuno sempai! Uh.. I mean, Upperclassman Tatewaki, verily tis' an elating and curious experience to have met with your wondrous person at this fine institution! Uh… how are you… eth?" Futaba-chan asked with a heavy bow.

"My dear, alas, I fear we will never properly educate you in the formality of the spoken word. But as you say, tis a fine day! And a pleasure to meet with you once again, my fine man. Or woman today. Might I say that you are as beautiful as ever?" Kuno asked with a bow of his own.

Futaba blushed. "Thanks Taki. How're you doin?" She said, dropping any pretense of being able to speak like him.

Tatewaki grinned when she dropped the false act. He was glad she tried but he much more preferred the girl when she acted natural. Just like Misaki. "Ah, quite well. Tonight myself and the beauteous Misaki will be dining at Linda's Café. I must say, for the humble atmosphere of the shop, it is quite possibly my favorite luncheon. But I digress, how are you today? And Ranma? How is she? Or he?" Kuno asked with a chuckle.

"He today. He's been in a _he_ mood ever since we met up with an old friend of his a few days ago. Ryoga Hibiki? Ever heard of him?" Futaba told as they moved beside each other and began walking towards the modeling agency.

"That swine! Ah! I would ally myself with Saotome to destroy the porcine fool! The evil pig sorcerer who works his wiles on the lustrous Aka— er…" The harsh glare from Futaba brought his rant up short. "I… er… 'twas a force of habit!" He recovered quickly.

When the glare did not ease, Kuno settled for indignant. "I would never betray Misaki, Shimeru-chan. I promise on my honor, and the honor of the house of Kuno."

Futaba's glare held a few moments longer. Then it dropped, forgotten. "That's good. If you did, I would kill you."

A sweat drop trailed down the back of Kuno's head as the girl walked on ahead. He moved up beside her after a moment or two and they resumed casual conversation.

Until…

All of a sudden a body threw itself at Kuno's back.

"Oh… Kuno-sempai… I've missed you so muuch…!" drawled a voice that most definitely was not Misaki.

Kuno felt the two arms wrapped around his shoulders, hands clutching at his chest holding a small feminine body up in the air against him. Large firm breasts pressed conspicuously into his back and he violently fought the urge to twitch.

After a nervous gulp Kuno began, "Y-you know… If I had known how much a-attention I would get by simply ignoring you eight months hence you would have b-been mine today."

"Oh Kuno-sempai… You'd have swept me off my feet if only I'd been free from that sorcerer Saotome!" Exclaimed the girl attached to his back.

Finally recovering his balance, a simple thing to do upon noticing that the blonde beside them was writhing in furious flames, Kuno decided it would perhaps be best to end this comical bout with the wiles of the feminine persona of his arch-rival. "I believe your female counterpart is quite angered, vile pigtailed wench!"

"Eh…?"

"Jackass!" Futaba exclaimed slamming an elbow downward into the red-head effectively cratering her within the ground below.

Ranma eyes rolling, moaned heavily. "Waaas… a… joooke…" She slurred as her eyes swirled.

Kuno turned around and looked down into the feminine body of his arch rival. "A heavens justice is assured, Saotome, for attaching your filthy self to the person of Tatewaki Kuno!" Kuno claimed, condescendingly at the red-head.

Ranma, waking up a bit, looked up at the upperclassman and grinned sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head. "Heh heh. Aw c'mon...! Wasn't _that_ bad was it?"

Kuno smiled and offered his hand down.

Ranma took it and once on her feet, promptly launched herself at the waiting blonde, locking lips in an instant, fiery, and passionate kiss.

The kiss lasted a bit longer then either intended, and a bit shorter than either wanted, but sooner or later Kuno coughed once or twice alerting them of their presence in public.

Of course they ignored him, bathing in both each other's presence and the sweet, tangy air of late spring.

And other things that were sweet and tangy.

* * *

Ranma awoke shivering. The summer was officially gone now. Fall had come on in its fullest and frost touched the ground everywhere, blanketing the still-green grass and leafless trees in a hazy white-filmed layer.

Wrapping his arms around himself in chill he looked across the grassland that had been his home for these past two or three weeks. Even with the shiver he smiled as he pulled the blanket closer.

He loved frost. He always had. When he was younger it signaled a time when he could be away from his father and spend time training with the monks. At the Tendo's, it represented a time when women could no longer wear provocative clothes and therefore weren't half so clingy throwing themselves at him. All in all, frost was usually the beginning of good times.

Not this year though.

He'd found a small business in the shopping district to work for. It was a small shop that he, as a girl, tended when the owner didn't feel like working, that sold vacuums of all things. It had given him more than enough to buy a new blanket, tent, and plenty of food for whenever he wanted. A very good thing.

It still wouldn't last him through the winter though. If he was lucky he could find an apartment with a cheap heating bill, but that was unlikely. The most probable event that would occur was him leaving town to find one of the shrines over in one of the other wards. He'd visited quite a few during his wanderings before he'd met Futaba.

Futaba…

The thought of her brought a tingling shiver of mute joy through him, waking his tired bones a bit faster than even coffee could. He found himself dreaming about the girl form of Futaba. He preferred the blonde while male, and while Futaba's male form only brought physical attraction to him when he was female, the opposite was quite false. He assumed it was the same for the blonde.

Despite how well things seemed to be going, he refused to ask for help. 'No,' 'nadda,' and 'not-a-chance.' Especially not from his girlfriend. It just wasn't in him to want to depend on someone like that. Not again. The fact that they, he and his father, had been freeloading for so long at the Tendo's had always panged at him a little bit. More at his pride than anything else but also at his morals.

The only reason it hadn't been there strongly in the first place was because he hadn't known the people he was staying with. They'd been just another random family that Ranma figured he and his pop would be leaving in another couple of months anyway, so there was no use worrying about freeloading for a while.

When those few months had stretched into years the sting had began to burn, but it was easily ignored due to the fact that they had been living there so long that moving out would feel like… abandoning them.

Well… everything was different now. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes, and even though this one hadn't been his fault, he could see what laid down the road of milking a place to stay for the winter at the Shimeru's.

With thoughts pounding his mind, he strode out into the middle of his small grass-laden courtyard and began his morning kata. The flows of movement laying to rest his uneasy thoughts.

_Kick. Punch. Turn-reverse. Spin-kick. To-the-air. Flip. Left Kick. Right. Left. Barrel-roll Punch. Land. Back-hand. Roundhouse. _

Hours he spent, perfecting his form. His art. His hobby, his joy, and his life all wrapped into one. Really, no matter what his life involved it _always_ rolled back to the martial art that was his foundation.

_Hi-kick. Roll. Jump. … Flip around for the fun of it for a bit. Jab. Jab. Haymaker. Land._

His own strange combination of katas and fluid styles from hundreds of different forms blended seamlessly, accentuating his flexibility and power.

_Jab-twist. Uppercut. Ki-empowered swipes. Jump-kick. Fall to leg sweep. Amaguriken._

… _Block?_

Instantly, Ranma felt himself on the defensive as a heavy attacker barreled down on him. Impulsively, reacting at first, the strikes came like those of a restless hyena, without mercy or remorse.

A stray kick flew over Ranma's head and he reacted instantly; his enemy's kick was wild, and overbalanced. A perfect opening! His returning roundhouse flew faster then he could even think, but impacted with nothing but air. His opponent danced like water. The lopsided balance had been a ruse, and Ranma paid dearly as a heavy side kick impaled him in the shoulder.

He sprawled, rolling with the kick to minimize the damage, landing on his feet, cat-like reflexes aiding him, as his breath picked up.

He stared up, noticing his opponent's hesitation.

The enormous Panda was no fool. It knew Ranma's fury and vigorous ability with counterattacks. No. Any hit scored on Ranma was the _only_ hit scored on Ranma. If anyone knew that, his pop did. If anything, the raven-haired boy seemed to take a personal offence to any scored hit and would return fire ten-fold in self punishment for the sin of allowing damage.

Genma was proud. His son _knew_ the art, and was better then he was, even at this young age. He did not doubt that his son would surpass the master someday, but those thoughts were merely lingering in the back of his mind now. The main thought permeating the Panda's mind was how he was so unbearably happy that his son seemed to be alright.

The boy had been nigh on impossible to find. He'd searched all of Tokyo, but he'd never assumed Ranma would go too terribly far. Genma was not a man ignorant of that feeling of utter hopelessness and betrayal. He had seen his son's emotions while living at the Tendo's. And after Ranma had left, Genma bid them his goodbyes. The pact was ended, and would not be coming to light again.

Genma had once thought he would give his right arm to see the two schools joined at last. But, when faced with the loss of his son, he found that his right arm was little more then a passing interest; the joining of the schools? A trifle. A crumb.

The very real fear that had been developing in him that his son had actually lost himself to that depressed stupor and perhaps… Well, he had never let his thoughts run so far as to actually believe his son may commit suicide. But he knew his son, despite their seeming mutual disdain for each other.

Ranma had _loved_ Akane. With all that he was. She'd betrayed him. She was an homerless wench in his eyes from that moment on and he did his best to show it at every chance he had. Nodoka had been _worse_!

That had been the final straw with his old friend. Ranma wasn't a knight in shining armor or anything, but dammit his boy deserved better. Adultery was the most honorless act a woman could commit, even though this wasn't _technically_ adultery, it was damn close.

And so, that was the end of it.

Little more then a week after Ranma's departure, with no signs of a return in sight, Genma left the Tendo's. Much as it pained, him he did not think he would be returning.

Besides! He had other friends! Good ole' Katsuhito always was a fine old geezer! And he'd heard tell that he had a granddaughter these days! Or was that grandson? Meh. Didn't even matter! Hah hah!

Again. None of this actually crossed his mind as he fought his son, the entirety of his concentration pouring into the punches and kicks flying, and the sonic booms erupting in Ranma's wake.

Sonic-freaking-booms!

Crouching back in an almost unholy state, listening to his aging bones crack with the outstanding maneuver, Genma only had a tenth of a moment to realize that he had slipped up when the bottom side of a fist slammed into his gut. He took the hit as best he could, making sure to follow the basic forms, rolling back as far as he could with the attack, though it didn't help how his feet left skid-marks on the perfectly frosted soil at his feet. The frozen grass tips felt like hundreds of tiny blades against his heavy panda paws. It all helped little. He was feeling the burn already. Ranma hadn't been slacking.

Pity. He'd almost hoped the boy had been, just so he could beat him for once, but it appeared the opposite had occurred.

Ranma was charging in again. A deft and uncanny slide, along with that insufferably cocky grin led the small form of his son directly _through and between_ his furry legs. Genma hauled to swirl around but even that backfired as the nimble little raven attached itself to his arm, swinging gracefully around him as if her were a sideways trapeze, flying around to his front, feet together in an outrageous kick.

Perfectly delivered to the same spot on his by now, aching gut, the Panda chocked inward on the howl he wanted to expel, while Ranma pogoed off his stomach, happily.

The Panda slumped while Ranma basked in his victory.

"Clumsy as ever pop. You're just not fast enough in that form. Might wanna adapt another heavier style into there, now that your speed's slackin'." Ranma tipped, surprisingly, in a completely non-derogatory way.

Genma pulled out a sign reading "That I might, son." in his usual rugged bold style of font. He huffed a bit, before finally finding his breath. Though his sides and lungs were still heaving from the ferocity of his son's attacks.

A moment of silence passed. Neither wanting to break it too badly. They stared at one another, the calm surroundings soothing both of them, while birds flew to the southern islands of Indonesia and Australia overhead.

Finally, Ranma gave a sigh and sat down on one of the rocks surrounding his still-slightly-smoking campfire. "Alright, Oyaji, lets get this over with."

Genma twitched as he too sat, and reached for the kettle there. Finding the water to be just warm enough, he dumped it on himself, transforming back to his normal form. Though he shivered a bit, he focused his attention on what was important. "Get what over with?"

"You're rant. I know you've got one. "Be a man, and forgive Akane!" All that crap. I know it's coming so just get it out so we can disagree and go on our way, okay?" Ranma fired off, starting a different kind of battle.

One Genma was better at, if only slightly.

The elder paused for a time, taking in Ranma's word while his son stewed in annoyance at Genma's pondering.

"Do you… really think I care for you that little, Son?" He asked, and was immediately greeted with an elbow plunging into his face.

"I'm scared shitless of cats pops. _Cats._" He replied, as if that said everything that needed to be said.

Genma sighed in reply. It pretty much did. That didn't mean he had no reason to be angry either! "I… Look, What Akane did to you was a dishonor of the worst sort. _She _is scum of the worst sort and I—"

"Don't _talk_ about her that way!" Ranma bellowed, surprising even himself.

Genma flinched. He'd known his son's feelings for her had gone deep… he should've known better. Why, he himself had been betrayed once or twice before finding Nodoka. "I'm… sorry M'boy. I've left the Tendo's though. If you want we can return to your mother's or… just you and me on the road again."

A moment of odd silence passed between the two, both sets of eyes trained on the other.

"It's okay, pops. It's not like a loved the stupid tomboy or anything." Ranma gave in, making his father break out in a smirking grin. The tension seemed broken in an instant. The black-haired martial artist had a hard time keeping the utter shock at his father's apology from showing on his face, but somehow he managed.

Perhaps his son wasn't even as bad off as he'd thought.

"So!" Genma said in a way that implied a definite change of subject. "You've obviously been keeping up with your training. What else have you been doing Ranma?"

The old man couldn't help but notice the blush that crept up Ranma's cheeks. _So! _He'd met someone! Maybe that was why he wasn't in the depressed funk Genma had expected. He didn't hesitate in voicing his assumption. "So you've _met_ someone. How is she boy?"

Ranma's blush reddened but he forced himself calm. "None of your business!"

"Can't a father look out for his son's well being!?" The old man questioned humorously.

Ranma burned, standing in fury. "One like you can't, baka-oyaji!"

Genma could do little but laugh while his son stewed in fury and embarrassment. He gave the boy a hearty pat on the back, glad and dodged a few half-assed punches that were his reply.

"I'm not letting you get in the way, pops!" The boy shouted, as he turned to the fire and began to coax it back to life to begin a breakfast.

For a time, Genma only laughed a bit more as he watched his son begin to cook as he'd learned to ages ago, while they'd been on the road. He thought of the turmoil he'd gone through; those stray thoughts that the boy might have gone and off-ed himself. That he'd never see his son again.

"I'm glad you're okay, son."

Hidden by his back, Genma couldn't see the smile that crept onto Ranma's face.

* * *

"_Mae wo muitereba mata aemasu ka_

_Mirai wa doko edemo tsudzuiterunda_

_Ookina kanban no shita de_

_Jidai no utsuroi wo miteitai na."_

"Aiyah! Airen sing too too good song! When Ranma learn to sing like that?" She questioned her companions in mute awe.

"No idea sugar. No idea." Ukyo replied, her own jaw gaping.

It was a strange friendship that they had developed, but it seemed that all it had taken was the absence of one gender-bending individual for them to all band together. Strangely enough the friendship, though it had been at first, wasn't really even feigned. Neither Ukyo, nor Shampoo felt threatened by Akane any longer, as she was quite adamantly _with_ Ryoga. After that had occurred, Akane had found fast friends in the only other two sane female martial artists she knew.

Fast and _strong_ friends. It was almost uncanny.

Shampoo and Ukyo though, had a slightly more… shaky alliance. They all wanted to find Ranma, though only Akane had reasons not involving dating or marriage anymore. Even so, with the boy gone, their friendship was becoming known to all. They'd even tried to hide it, but how could they? Their personalities were so similar that without a cause for battle, they were almost drawn to each other.

"_Omoidaseba haruka haruka_

_Mirai wa doko mademo kagayaiteta_

_Kirei na aozora no shita de_

_Bokura wa itsu mademo nemutteita_

_Aozora no shita..."_

The words drifted immaculately about the incredible arena, all eyes staring unrelentingly at the beautiful redhead singing in the middle. She wore a soft, intricate dress of a deep blue hue, sewn with designs of no known figure or item, swirling with every shade of blue imaginable covering the deep lowest shade. Gloves of a significantly lighter blue stretched all the way up to her elbows, while her shoulder hung exposed.

Hands clasped around a microphone she sang as none of those who knew her before could have possibly believed, finishing on one long low, almost sad note.

Silence held sway for a time after the final notes had been played, and instantly, the crowd burst into applause. A roar of hundreds of thousands of voices cheering unabatedly in praise for the voice and beauty of one Lakara Uundo.

Shampoo, Ukyo, and Akane, couldn't help but be one of them.

Nabiki, not one for cheering, stood in the background. Inwardly she wished she'd discovered and harnessed this talent of Ranma's long ago. If only she'd _known_!

Many of those who knew Ranma when she lived in Nerima were present. Many didn't even know the girl they now cheered for truly was Ranma, such as Daisuke, Yuka, and Sayuri.

Ryoga himself wouldn't have believed if he hadn't seen the girl not two weeks ago. Who could have known that _this_, lay under that damn bastard, seven months ago when he'd been nothing more than Ranma 'man-among-men' Saotome.

Who could have known?

Cologne, had known. She sighed dismally at another loss at the hands of Ranma, though this one the gender changing individual hadn't even known she'd been fighting. Cologne had known all along what kind of person Ranma could be once she finally let down her pride. She'd known from the very beginning. This beautiful girl, developed in the aftermath of heartbreak, was the very epitome of the Amazon she'd wished for.

Now though, she was lost, even though her great-granddaughter did not seem to think so. Didn't the fool girl realized that there had to be someone behind Ranma, pushing her to brave this? Someone who had replaced Akane in his… _her_ heart?

Kuno, having been conspicuously absent from Furinkan as of late, stood somewhere far away from any of the others in the audience, his right arm wrapped dutifully around the waist of his black haired girlfriend.

"Ranma's so incredible, isn't she, Kuno-chan?" She asked, her voice saturated with amazement.

Kuno grinned. "She holds not a candle to your beauty, Misaki. Not a candle."

He leaned his lips in, kissing her in full amidst the raucous cheers and shouts.

Truly though, the only one who carried true fury in those of the Nerima crowd who had not been in contact with Ranma and now knew her identity as the second greatest idol star in Japan, was Mousse. In his eyes, there was no difference from this beauty to the man who had stolen his Shampoo away from him.

Well. Even he had to admit that that singing was _damn_ good. Other then that? None whatsoever.

Thus prompting the incredibly unusual scenario that occurred during the endless array of cheers directed at the blushing girl. While none of the girl's held any want to interrupt this show, as the sheer number of people watching would be baffling, Mousse held no such compunctions.

"Ranma Saotome! Prepare to meet your end!" Cried the black haired hidden weapons master as he gracefully leapt above the stage, descending on the waving redhead. The words, and intent were almost completely drowned out by the sea of cheering fans.

Instantly, Lakara was gone, and Ranma was back. She dodged like a demoness, her dress not receiving a scratch as exploding eggs decimated the stage, and razor sharp yoyo's were dodged as if they were nothing.

Cologne sighed in dismay. Would that boy _never _learn?

Mousse landed and began throwing punches that were blocked or dodged seemingly without effort. Ranma hadn't been lax it seemed, but Mousse had trained harder than ever! This time he would win for sure, with all these people as witness!

"For leaving my dearest Shampoo and making her search for you for eight months, I'll make you pay, Saoto—Urk!" Mousse screamed, as he suddenly found a large cane impacted on his head, slamming him to the ground, dazed and completely out of it.

Ranma blinked, as a bit of the Lakara in her seeped back in her hand shockingly going to her mouth as she gasped. The crowd had not yet stopped cheering! They all thought it was part of the show!

"I'm very sorry, miss Lakara. For the trouble this dolt has caused you." Cologne sighed, balancing expertly on her cane.

"N-No problem at all! M-Miss—?"

Cologne grinned. "Cut the crap, Muko-dono. We've found you. I must say, you have an incredible voice."

Ranma blushed. "Uh… th-thanks Cologne."

Cologne pouted. "What? No 'Old Ghoul'? Hmph. And just when I was starting to like the nickname…"

Ranma giggled.

"Miss Lakara, it's time to go!" came a male shout from the back of the stage.

At once Lakara improvised. She grabbed Cologne and hugged her, causing a cheer for the "Old Lady, Savior." Ranma grinned inside, watching as the attention had shifted to Cologne. It was fun to watch others be in the spotlight, but she had to go. Futaba was waiting! She hoped he was impressed... but judging from the crowd's reaction, he probably would be. Oh, she hoped so, but she knew the other girl was a bit better in this arena.

She lifted a hand into the air in a goodbye wave, and began to walk off the stage. Cologne giggled this time, pogoing along after Ranma, waving in the same way, with a wide grin spread across her face.

Gliding off the stage into the building behind it that kept the roaring crowd at bay, Ranma quickly found herself and Cologne along with her ushered into a waiting stretch limousine. She dashed inside and found herself in a squeezing hug.

"You were amazing, Ranma-chan!" The black haired boy exclaimed excitedly. To Cologne's gaping surprise, the boy leant down and kissed the girl full on the lips, as she shut the door behind her.

They broke apart, slowly, and Ranma gazed up into the boy's eyes. "Y-you really thinks so?"

Futaba gave a definite nod along with a beaming smile. "Best I've ever heard!"

"Eh hem." Cologne interrupted, drawing their attention. "So… I suppose you are the one behind all this…" The elderly woman gestured to the fanciful articles of clothing worn by her 'once-son-in-law.'

Ranma blushed heavily, hand going to her chest in an completely unreasonable effort to cover what it was she was wearing. "I… well uh…"

"Yes, I am." Futaba said simply. "And you would be… Happosai?"

Ranma twitched. Cologne developed a glare that small woodland creatures would be killed by. "Boy. If you ever call me that name again, I will tear out your spine."

"Over my dead body!" Ranma cried.

Their eyes connected in heated fury and Futaba held up his hands. "C-cologne then? Right? Eheh!"

"Much better, though I would prefer you refer to me as Elder Cologne, weakling." Cologne said despondently.

"Hey, now." Futaba exclaimed indignantly. "I—!"

"Ranma." Cologne stated, directing her gaze intently towards the red-head.

Ranma blinked as she rolled her name around in her head. It sounded so _weird_ when Cologne said it. She didn't think the old ghoul had ever called her by her name before. Regardless the woman always put her on edge.

"Y-yeah?" Ranma replied.

The old woman sighed. She'd supposed she'd scared the children enough. She'd had enough of these games. She wanted to return home. No more of this cat and mouse. Ranma was simply not a prey that Shampoo was going to be able to catch.

She would miss the dolt, though.

"I can safely assume that you will be against us taking you back to China, correct?" She asked, plainly.

"Over _my_ dead body!" This time from Futaba. Hmm. Perhaps she'd underestimated the boy. Usually her aura alone scared little peons like this boy. At least he had some spine. A waste, though to be paired with someone so good as her ex-muko-dono.

"No. I won't be going to China, Cologne. Not now or ever." Ranma said in a straight and rational voice, showing a maturity that Cologne didn't think she'd ever heard in Ranma's voice before.

"I assumed as much when you first walked onto that stage." Cologne said with a sigh. "If I were a bit younger, I'd make you come, but I don't think the effort would be worth it. You always were a mediocre fighter anyways. It's no small wonder why you'd change to a softer art. That voice of yours sure is pretty."

Ranma twitched.

Futaba burned! How dare this woman insinuate that Ranma was weak? Sure, he knew _he_ was! But Ranma was by no means the weaker of the two of them! Ranma could wipe the floor with this old bat!

Cologne blinked staring at Futaba. A blonde Futaba. "Well _that _is new!" She barked, laughingly. No wonder Ranma had been drawn to this girl! Heh heh. They were practically perfect for each other.

Futaba blinked too. She'd barely noticed the change, but when Cologne pointed it out she couldn't help but realize what had happened. Damn emotions! The shock evaporated the anger in all parties almost instantly.

"Driver! Let me out here!" Cologne ordered suddenly.

As the limousine pulled to the side of the now-fan-less road, Cologne turned back to the two girls focusing her eyes on the well-dressed redhead.

"I suppose this is goodbye. You would have made the best Amazon I could imagine. And I'd have loved to have you as a great grandson. Just… so you know. So goodbye. Ranma."

Cologne gave one final sigh. She wasn't looking forward to breaking this to Shampoo, but she was tired, and this had been the final straw. She wouldn't let this evolve into another battle between fiancées. She was too old for it.

And if it had been this difficult to separate Ranma from a girl he _denied _even liking, how hard would it be to separate him from a girl like this?

Frankly. Impossible.

And with that, she opened the door, and left.

"W-wow… I didn't know she cared…" Ranma breathed, staring out the tinted windows at the retreating form of the elderly woman. "Heh. You wouldn't have been so bad as a great grandmother. Old Ghoul."

Futaba just grinned. They'd been preparing for meeting Ranma's old acquaintances ever since they'd met Ryoga, but neither of them had predicted anything happening this easy. "One down!"

Ranma giggled again as they kissed.

They didn't notice the driver tilt the mirror subtly.

* * *

A/N: Hello all! It's been forever! Well. This story is starting to spiral to a close too! Bout three fifths done now and getting ready to converge the timelines. Still a ways left but the end is in sight.

So, if ya liked it leave a review! It's a fun write and I must admit, while it started as little more then something to pass the time it has developed into one of my most well-liked fics! I'm quite glad for it.

Annoyingly enough, my current system of scene breaks for this story is no longer useable as the hyphen is no longer available for use in uploading, so i've switched to the usual line used in most of my other fics that ff dot net offers us.

One final note. Japanesse lyrics milked from Kingdom Hearts II's main theme "Passion."

Thank you all!

Till Next!

MB


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